QT- I’m Almost Died
Chapter 260. The Case Closed
Zhang Yang had never known that hunger and thirst could feel so painful, and the loss of power weakened even his soul. His mind had completely lost the ability to think, and he had degenerated into a wild beast.
What is the instinct of wild animals? It’s to eat!
He would do anything to get food and water!
He opened his mouth and drank the blue drug in one gulp. The sensation of his lips and tongue being moistened was like a sudden rain in a parched desert, so comfortable that he groaned on the spot. However, the amount of the drug was far too small, it only moistened the burnt skin on his lips before it was gone.
He tilted his head back, mouth agape, arms trembling as he tried to expel the last drop of the drug. He had no idea that his greedy, twisted face had been clearly captured by several hidden cameras, cropped into images by Song Rui, and placed side-by-side with the image of the real culprit captured during the tragedy that night, before being posted in the comments section.
The comparison has convinced netizens of Fan Jialuo’s words.
This fierce expression, greedy face, and ferocious demeanor were exactly like the murderer from that night! And the real Fan Jialuo stood beside this man, his expression calm, his demeanor composed, and the light emanating from his eyes deep and unfathomable.
They clearly possessed identical faces, yet at this moment, standing together, their diametrically opposed souls made their physical appearances bear no resemblance. One was vicious and ruthless, like a demon or a beast, the other was calm and serene, like water and the wind——they were not even one person!
There’s no mistake! The murderer is Zhang Yang under a disguise!
When netizens reached this conclusion with absolute certainty, Zhang Yang, nourished by the drug, visibly became plump. This scene, ironically, overlapped with his ruthless act of killing and devouring hearts.
At this point, netizens had no more doubts about Fan Jialuo’s words. The murderer who committed three tragedies was definitely Zhang Yang! There was no one else but him! His expression, his eyes, his posture, his movements, all were so terrifying, and so unforgettable!
His previous several changes of expression have led netizens to imagine even more terrifying things.
One netizen said in a terrified tone: 【Oh my god! It might be a bit harsh to say this, but I’m really glad he used Teacher Fan’s face when he killed someone. Because Teacher Fan has the ability to find out the truth and prove his innocence, but others can’t! Just think about it, if Zhang Yang had used my little Xuanxuan’s face when he killed someone, wouldn’t my little Xuanxuan be doomed? 】
Ouyang Xuan’s fans: !!!
Fans of the other dozens of popular celebrities: !!
Holy crap! Thinking about it this way is absolutely terrifying! Only Teacher Fan could handle something like this, if it happened to someone else, their life would be ruined! Even if they had a hundred mouths, they couldn’t explain themselves!
The dozens of celebrities involved were completely stunned. They hadn’t even considered the possibility of it before, but now, seeing Zhang Yang’s slightly fuller face, they instantly got goosebumps!
【Teacher Fan, you are my idol’s savior! You are like a mountain, shielding him from a catastrophic disaster! Zhang Yang is like a malevolent fox spirit, he’ll die if he doesn’t devour people’s hearts. Thank goodness he chose to target you first and fell straight into your trap, he never got the chance to harm anyone else. If he had gone after my idol instead, my idol would have been absolutely done for! Zhang Yang replicated so many faces just to hide his true identity, right? He’s planning to frame one person after another, knowing that even if the crime is exposed, someone else will always take the blame. He’s absolutely ruthless! 】
This netizen’s imagination made Zhang Yang’s terrifying image even more vivid and also provided him with a motive for murder.
Many people believed this story and lined up to thank their idol’s savior on his behalf. The more fiercely Fan Jialuo was criticized before, the more highly he is being praised now. His Weibo is almost entirely filled with the words “I’m sorry,” and his follower count has jumped from 150 million to nearly 200 million.
This is absolutely a world record number.
Dozens of celebrities also logged onto Weibo to sincerely thank Fan Jialuo, and then announced their contract termination with the Zhang family’s film and movie company. When Su Fengxi’s incident occurred, the Zhang family had protection from higher authorities, after a period of turmoil, things stabilized. They thought they had chosen the right path, but now they realize it wasn’t a path at all, it was a complete trap!
Zhang Yang, like Su Fengxi, is a monster! Perhaps everyone in the Zhang family is a monster!
Before the live broadcast even ended, the Zhang Group’s stock price plummeted.
But a more ferocious wave, a more devastating tsunami, was brewing beneath the calm surface. This was because Fan Jialuo had not only exposed Zhang Yang’s crimes, but also destroyed the very foundation of his power. The drug he had developed was highly poisonous, once the higher-ups found out, the Zhang family’s fate would be sealed.
Zhang Yang was completely controlled by the urge to eat. One vial of drug could not quench his body’s thirst and his soul’s turmoil, instead, it only intensified the deep-seated craving. Every cell in his body was screaming—— I want energy! More, more, more energy!
He still has the face of Fan Jialuo, but his twisted and ferocious expression will never be mistaken for anyone else.
He crouched down like a dog, sticking his head into the storage compartment to lick the medicine leaking from the broken glass bottle. His tongue was cut by shards of glass, gushing blood, but it did nothing to restore even the slightest bit of his sanity.
Seeing Zhang Yang’s beastly behavior, the chief investigator standing in the observation room tried his best to suppress his emotions, but his hands, clasped tightly behind his back, trembled in waves. He finally realized what an abyss he had fallen into.
As he struggled to suppress his inner panic, Fan Jialuo looked down at Zhang Yang and slowly said, “This is the consequence of blindly pursuing power.”
What is the fate of those who blindly pursue power? They are reduced to half-human, half-monster slaves forever shackled by their dependence on drugs. How can a slave speak of freedom, true strength, or climbing the ladder of success? A slave’s ultimate fate is simply to be discarded once their usefulness is spent.
The chief investigator recalled the experiment and immediately realized that if the drug was addictive, the people who participated in the experiment would be discarded by their superiors. They would still be used, but no longer carefully cultivated and strongly supported. Instead, they would be used like a knife, forced to be at the forefront in everything, and once their blades were dulled or broken, they would be thrown away.
The chief investigator, drenched in cold sweat, thought to himself, it’s over! It’s all over!
Just as he thought of this, Director Lin quickly entered the observation room, accompanying several high-ranking officials. A smile tugged at the corners of their mouth, yet their eyes betrayed a look of panic and bewilderment.
After exchanging greetings with Chief Yan, the officials fixed their gaze on whatever was happening on the other side of the observation mirror and asked in a deep voice, “How is Zhang Yang doing?”
Chief Yan glanced at Song Rui.
Song Rui waved the notebook in his hand, “He has completely lost his mind. After five days of abstinence, his bodily functions are in complete failure. Two doses of drugs are not enough to replenish his energy. In addition to drugs, he may need the heart or flesh of a living person to supplement his nutrition.”
Upon hearing this, the faces of several officials twitched involuntarily. If this was a side effect of the drug, then was their carefully trained force of two thousand men a powerful weapon or a cannibalistic monster?
If it is the latter, the consequences would be so severe that they dare not even imagine them!
As the officials were trembling with fear, Chief Yan’s phone rang, it was the supreme leader.
Upon seeing the caller ID, everyone fell silent.
Chief Yan hurriedly left the observation room with his phone in hand, then returned a few minutes later, saying in a deep voice, “The Leader has ordered me to thoroughly investigate Zhang Yang’s case. This experiment must be aborted immediately, and everyone involved in the experiment must be investigated. Director Lin, you should go with them.”
Chief Yan pointed to the two soldiers following behind him.
Director Lin clenched his fist suddenly, then slowly released it, and argued, “Chief Yan, we have already conducted withdrawal experiments, and none of the participants have shown symptoms like Zhang Yang. He is a mutant, and his mutation has nothing to do with our drug.”
Chief Yan waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to take Director Lin away.
Director Lin was filled with resentment and wanted to argue further, but Song Rui shook his head and said, “Every test subject’s constitution is different. How can you be sure that the drug has no side effects without undergoing two or three years of withdrawal experiments? Although I don’t understand its composition, I can guess how it works. It’s like a combustion accelerant, which can promote the body to burn and release energy. And combustion accelerants will have different effects when used on different materials.”
“Put it on wet firewood, it burns slowly, put it on dry firewood, it burns quickly, put it on gasoline, it burns out immediately. Some of the test subjects were wet firewood, some were dry firewood, and some, like Zhang Yang, were gasoline, so the reactions were naturally different. You didn’t even consider this, what kind of experiment were you conducting? You treated the lives of more than two thousand people like a joke, you can’t shirk this responsibility.”
Song Rui’s words completely sealed Director Lin’s fate.
Director Lin glared at him through gritted teeth, but was shoved hard by two soldiers and fell awkwardly out of the observation room.
The chief investigator didn’t participate in the experiment openly, instead, he secretly took the drug, thus avoiding detention. However, he knew this was only the beginning of his suffering. Once the experiment ended, the drug would no longer be produced, and once withdrawal symptoms appeared, he would completely descend into madness!
He will kill people everywhere like Zhang Yang, then be wanted, rounded up, and eventually shot!
The chief investigator closed his eyes briefly, and when he looked at Zhang Yang again, his eyes were filled with hatred.
Chief Yan waved his hand at his subordinates, “The truth behind the three tragedies is already very clear. Make the platform stop the live broadcast. Get Zhang Yang a few more doses of the drug to bring him back to his senses. We need to interrogate him immediately. All the test subjects who took the drug must be taken into custody immediately to prevent them from endangering society. Zhang family’s business must also be completely sealed off.”
The soldiers nodded in agreement and prepared to leave.
Song Rui added, “The effects of this drug are astonishing, and there have always been more people who blindly pursue power than ever before. On the surface, more than two thousand people participated in the experiment, but behind the scenes, how many more did the Zhang family send out to win people’s hearts? Chief Yan, have you thought about that? The biggest hidden danger is not those experimental subjects, but those who are already addicted to it and lurking in the shadows.”
Song Rui patted the chief investigator on the shoulder and asked with a half-smile, “Deputy Bureau Chief Zhang, do you think I’m right?”
The chief investigator nearly collapsed to his knees on the spot.
Chief Yan shot a meaningful look to several of his subordinates, and the entire investigation team was handcuffed and taken to a secret interrogation location. Once Zhang Yang regains his senses, the authorities will definitely make him produce the complete list of those who took the drug. These are man-eating monsters! They absolutely cannot be tolerated!
However, in reality, the cannibalism was just a charade staged by Zhang Yang to frame Fan Jialuo, and the withdrawal symptoms were not that severe.
He never dreamed that not only would he fail to kill Fan Jialuo, but he would also lose all the connections he had carefully built.
The once bustling and arrogant investigation team is now completely wiped out. With just a live broadcast and a single machine, Fan Jialuo destroyed Zhang Yang, as well as a behemoth like the Zhang family and the network of relationships they had painstakingly built.
“I never imagined this thing would be used like this! It’s Zhang Yang’s bad luck that he came to you.” Chief Yan pointed at the cartoon-shaped vending machine and sighed.
Song Rui chuckled and said, “Calculating people’s hearts is my specialty, and facing off against the opponent is Teacher Fan’s specialty. We are simply doing our respective jobs.”
Chief Yan gave a thumbs up and sincerely praised, “The two of you together are absolutely amazing! It’s my luck to have such excellent advisors as you.”
“You flatter me.” Song Rui waved his hand modestly, then looked at Fan Jialuo in the interrogation room.
He stood beside Zhang Yang, silently observing the other’s beast-like behavior.
After licking the remaining liquid from the machine, Zhang Yang’s bloodshot eyes finally lost some of their madness. He rolled over, his stomach bulging, and began to pant heavily. He was still in great pain, his skin felt like it was crawling with insects, tingling and itching in waves, making him wish he could scratch it raw and tear his flesh out.
Fan Jialuo bent down to look at him and asked in a low voice, “Why did you scheme against me?” He wanted to confirm whether the Zhang family was connected to the antique case.
These few words were imbued with Fan Jialuo’s irresistible magnetic field, causing Zhang Yang’s eyes to momentarily mist over before he spoke in a venomous tone, “To take revenge!”
“Who are you taking revenge for?” Fan Jialuo was taken aback.
“For Su Fengxi!” Mentioning his lover’s name, Zhang Yang immediately came to his senses.
Fan Jialuo tilted his head and pondered for a second or two, then suddenly realized.
He didn’t say a word, but his reaction clearly showed that if Zhang Yang hadn’t mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten about Su Fengxi.
The person he had killed in such a brutal manner was cast from his mind after a mere few months. Had no one else brought it up, he would never have even thought back on it. He had fallen for Su Fengxi’s tricks and taken hits from her before, but he still forgot all about her. To him, getting bitten by a stray mosquito once in a while wasn’t something to lose sleep over.
Just swat the mosquitoes and that’s it. Who would keep thinking about it?
As Zhang Yang gradually realized what Su Fengxi meant to Fan Jialuo, his heart shattered. His pent-up hatred surged forth like a tsunami, but it only hurt himself and did nothing to disturb the person in front of him.
He began to laugh softly, and as he laughed, two lines of bloody tears streamed down his face. He murmured, “Do you know? She kept calling your name until she died. She often talked about the giant whale because the giant whale was you, and you were her nightmare. I always tried to persuade her to think more positively, but I made the same mistake as her.”
He had originally been glaring up at Fan Jialuo with his head tilted back, but now he slumped down dejectedly and closed his eyes, and said, “I finally understand the helplessness she described to me. A giant whale, darkening the sky, swims through the deep sea, and we blind shrimp can only sway to and fro with the waves it creates. We have no control over our own destiny. We are blind shrimp——the kind of freebies vendors toss in by the bagful when you buy seafood. What are we then? Hahaha……”
Zhang Yang laughed maniacally for a while, then said, “Fan Jialuo, help me kill someone, and I’ll give you all of mine……”
He omitted the words “fish jade pendant,” but Fan Jialuo knew what he meant. So he crouched down and effortlessly extracted six jade pendants of varying sizes from his mind. He did it very discreetly, without anyone noticing.
“Why are you able to remove them from other people’s bodies?” Fan Jialuo asked telepathically, because it seemed that only he could do this.
Zhang Yang opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but his soul was imprisoned. Someone was not allowing him to give an answer. His eyes flickered slightly, and he repeated what he had said before, “Fan Jialuo, help me kill someone. His sins are greater than mine, greater than Su Fengxi’s. I’ll tell you the address, go and kill him! When you get there, you’ll know everything.”
He uttered an address and then fell into a coma, the resentment on his face slowly twisting into a vicious smile.
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Chapter 259. Zhang Yang’s True Colors Revealed
Zhang Yang, who was so thin he was almost unrecognizable, at first glance, looked remarkably similar to the ghostly figure who had committed the crime that night, though this didn’t mean anything. After all, there are plenty of people in the world with similar physiques.
However, Zhang Yang’s unusual behavior still attracted the attention of many netizens, and the news was quickly spread through social media tools such as Weibo and WeChat.
If a live stream lasts too long without any novel or interesting content, viewers will quickly leave. This is exactly what happened to Fan Jialuo’s live stream, its viewership plummeted from tens of millions to just tens of thousands.
However, when Zhang Yang stood up and exposed his skeletal body to the lights, the number of viewers in the live stream skyrocketed.
Zhang Yang always knew he wouldn’t die, so when Fan Jialuo imprisoned him in this strange space, he wasn’t worried. Instead, he had the arrogant idea of wearing the other person down.
He and the old monster were actually the same kind of people. The old monster could live for decades without eating or drinking, so could he.
However, five days later, harsh reality told him that his strength was far from enough to contend with Fan Jialuo, and he couldn’t even compare to the old monster he once looked down upon. Fan Jialuo could move freely for decades without eating or drinking, while he couldn’t even last a week.
His body was becoming weak and emaciated, and the rate of decline was accelerating. He wouldn’t actually die, but he could evolve into a living dead——the most terrifying outcome.
Before this, Zhang Yang had never experienced fasting, nor did he need to. He believed in living life to the fullest and being comfortable. Why torture himself? So, only now did he belatedly realize that his body had a serious problem! But why? When did this happen?
He slumped into the chair, his body drenched in thick, sticky sweat, clutching his aching abdomen with both hands, and staring at the person sitting opposite him with a look of horror and disbelief.
Fan Jialuo extended his fair hand, hovering it in front of his face, and said calmly, “Doesn’t it seem strange? You shouldn’t be this weak.”
Feeling the increasingly intense cramps in his abdomen and the continuous draining of his energy, Zhang Yang opened his eyes wide, his gaze filled with unprecedented panic. He knew that Fan Jialuo was sensing him, but he had no strength to escape.
“This is the effect the drug had on you.” Fan Jialuo said slowly, “It made your body like a high-speed engine, constantly heating up and burning to gain immense power. Your cells are your fuel, and the drug stimulates rapid cell division and reproduction, giving you strength through this continuous regeneration. But now, you’ve stopped taking the drug, so your body can only burn, not regenerate.”
Fan Jialuo withdrew his hand and let out a long sigh, “Right now, you’re like a burning coal, destined to turn to ashes one day. The weaker you are, the faster your body will burn away. What do you have to fight me with?”
Zhang Yang tried to retort sharply, but his voice sounded weak and light, like a kitten meowing, “You’re talking nonsense.”
Fan Jialuo curled the corners of his lips, his tone casual, “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know best. Your stomach hurts, doesn’t it?”
Zhang Yang gritted his teeth and sneered, but his hand, which was clutching his abdomen, trembled. He desperately wanted to hide his pain, but his body wouldn’t obey him.
Fan Jialuo looked at a point behind him, his dark pupils losing focus, “Do you know what your body is doing?”
Zhang Yang pursed his lips and remained silent, but cold sweat poured out of him, quickly soaking his hair and clothes, making him look extremely disheveled.
Fan Jialuo focused his gaze on him, and said with a half-smile, “Your body is eating itself.”
These words were truly frightening, to the point that Zhang Yang’s eyes involuntarily widened.
“Your stomach has been empty for too long and needs food, but you can’t meet its needs, so it’s started digesting itself. It’s currently rapidly secreting gastric acid, dissolving itself, and extracting nutrients from it. You see, your enemy now isn’t me, but yourself. How can you be strong if you can’t even control your own body?”
Fan Jialuo smiled gently at the dazzling lights. Compared to Zhang Yang’s wretched state, he now looked like a celestial being. Both had gone five days and five nights without food or water, yet Zhang Yang was so weak that his stomach was beginning to dissolve, while Fan Jialuo seemed perfectly fine.
His control over his body is terrifyingly strong.
The viewers in the live stream were stunned.
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong also realized more directly that there is only one Fan Jialuo in the world, and there will never be another person like him.
But Song Rui knew better than anyone that Fan Jialuo could control not only his body, but also his consciousness, thoughts, and even his soul. In order to become as powerful as possible, he abandoned his sense of taste and many unnecessary emotions. He treated himself as harshly as he would an enemy.
It really was no disgrace for Zhang Yang to lose to him.
As soon as Fan Jialuo finished speaking, Zhang Yang slumped to his knees on the floor, clutching his stomach and retching. He exhibited all the symptoms of severe dehydration and extreme hunger. He wouldn’t die, but he would have to endure this agony.
After retching, he looked up, revealing a face drenched in cold sweat and emaciated. In just over ten minutes, he had lost a significant amount of weight.
Just as Fan Jialuo had predicted, his burning speed was accelerating.
Seeing his pitiful and helpless appearance, the viewers in the live stream couldn’t bear it and began to condemn him. 【Forget it, let Zhang Yang go! He’s just an ordinary person, how can he compare to Fan Jialuo! You’ve locked him in this room for five days and five nights without food or water, that’s murder! 】
【Yes! This is blatant murder! Fan Jialuo accused Zhang Yang of murder without any evidence. How is his approach any different from torture? 】
【Reported! This stream needs a name change to ‘Live Murder Event.’ Something this gruesome is going down, and the mods are just sleeping?! 】
【Let my husband go! I’ve called the police! 】
【Release Zhang Yang at once! Fan Jialuo, you really are a cold-blooded animal! 】
【To be able to do something so cruel to an ordinary person, I now think that Fan Jialuo is the real culprit! 】
Initially curious onlookers, netizens were deeply affected by Zhang Yang’s horrific condition, their sensitive nerves stirred, and they rallied to his aid. They weren’t perverts, so why would they enjoy such a gruesome scene? To starve a person to this extent——how is Fan Jialuo any different from Ma You?
Looking at it this way, it seems he really did commit those three murders, right? Did he bring Zhang Yang here to frame him?
Public opinion, which had initially shown signs of turning around, has now overwhelmingly sided with Zhang Yang again. In the public’s mind, “whoever is weak is right” is a valid logic, and they cannot bear to see others fall into a pitiful and helpless situation.
Chief Yan had been closely monitoring the comments in the live stream and noticed that netizens were extremely disgusted with Teacher Fan’s actions, and many media outlets were also strongly condemning this inhumane behavior. He began to worry. Just then, his direct superior called him, telling him to stop.
He gritted his teeth and retorted a few times, buying Teacher Fan a little more time, but after hanging up the phone, he showed a troubled expression.
“The time has come. I’ll go over there.” Song Rui strolled over to the next room, pushed open the door to the interrogation room, went behind the vending machine, opened the hatch, put in two vials of blue drug, locked it again, then smiled at Fan Jialuo and strode away.
It was only then that Zhang Yang realized that the vending machine was half exposed outside and half stuck inside. People outside could put items into the retrieval compartment, and people inside could retrieve items from the compartment through this passage.
Zhang Yang was drawn to the blue liquid inside the transparent compartment. His eyes widened instantly, and he crawled over on all fours, staring intently at it, his breathing becoming increasingly heavy.
“Does this feel familiar? That’s right, this is exactly what you need most.” Fan Jialuo said casually.
Zhang Yang tried to break down the hatch to get the two vials of drugs, but he couldn’t do it at all. This transparent glass, which used to be as fragile as a piece of paper to him, breaking with the slightest touch, was now like a steel plate, indestructible.
He slapped it with his hands, kicked it with his feet, and even banged his head against it, but he couldn’t budge the thin, transparent barrier. For a moment, he felt a deep despair.
It was at this moment that Fan Jialuo, using his all-pervasive magnetic field, shattered one of the vials of the drug. The slightly volatile liquid then permeated the small space, imbuing every air particle with an incomparably sweet aroma. This aroma wouldn’t affect ordinary people, but it would have a fatal attraction for those who tasted it.
Saliva suddenly gushed from the corner of Zhang Yang’s mouth. It was thick, yellow, sticky, and had a fishy smell. It dripped and trailed in a long line down his chin. His drooling and frenzied appearance made him look as ferocious as a ghost.
The viewers in the live stream felt extremely uncomfortable, and then became increasingly vehement in reporting, criticizing, and appealing, demanding that this inhumane game stop immediately.
Just then, Fan Jialuo spoke up, “There’s only one vial of drug left. Do you want to drink it? Scan your face if you want a drink.”
The sweet aroma in the air had driven Zhang Yang mad. If Fan Jialuo hadn’t used a magnetic field to directly implant his voice into his mind, he probably wouldn’t have heard anything at all. As if bewitched by a demon, he clung to the fuselage to his feet, pointed his swaying head at the virtual frame on the screen, and pressed the recognition button.
“Recognition failed, please try again.” A hollow voice came from the vending machine.
Fan Jialuo slowly walked to Zhang Yang’s side and said gently, “It’s a failure. Let’s change your face.”
Zhang Yang’s body was burning rapidly, first his stomach, then his intestines, then his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, and finally his brain. His reason and thinking ability were all defeated by humanity’s earliest and most powerful instinct——food. He was hungry, thirsty, and needed a huge amount of energy to sustain his decaying body, he couldn’t care less about anything else.
Without a second thought, he changed his face.
Through the camera mounted on the vending machine, indignant netizens witnessed this bizarre scene, then fell into a deathly silence. The dense barrage of insults, warnings, and complaints that filled the live stream vanished in an instant, leaving everyone stunned.
After a long while, someone finally spoke up, sounding utterly astonished: 【This is my idol! 】
Yes, the face Zhang Yang was currently scanning belongs to one of the most popular young male idol in the entertainment industry. Although the cheeks were sunken and the eye sockets were slightly dark, the facial features were exactly the same as the original one.
【Why did Zhang Yang become my idol? Ahhhh, this is terrifying! 】
The idol’s fans shrieked in absolute horror. Safe in their own little bubbles, it had never crossed their minds how lethal and unpredictable creatures like Zhang Yang could be.
Only now, when he appeared with the face of their idol, did these fans suddenly realize how immense the damage was to the person whose identity had been stolen and exposed in such an ugly light.
The young idol’s anti fans were also in the live stream and immediately captured a screenshot of his drooling, grotesque face, posting it online. The idol’s fans retaliated immediately, pointing out a way for passersby to find the truth in the live stream, which sparked a media frenzy.
A massive crowd swarmed the broadcast room, watching in horror as Fan Jialuo stripped away Zhang Yang’s skin layer by layer, exposing what lay beneath
“Recognition failed, please try again.” Even the handsome young idol’s face didn’t work on the vending machine.
Fan Jialuo tempted, “Try changing your face.”
Zhang Yang, who had been living in a daze, now had a stunningly beautiful face. As it turned out, the face belonged to none other than an ultra-top-tier movie queen.
Fans of the movie queen: !!!
The recognition failed again. This time, without the guidance of Fan Jialuo, impatiently, Zhang Yang replaced his features with a sharp, dashing countenance that belonged to a talented action star.
Fans of action star: !!!
Then came a cute and handsome face, belonging to a newly popular young actor.
The young actor’s fans: !!!
In this way, Zhang Yang changed dozens of faces, each one possessing immense popularity and fame, causing the viewers in the live stream to become numb from the rapid beating of their hearts. The fans of these celebrities were furious and terrified, crying and cursing simultaneously. The screen was filled with condemnations of Zhang Yang, no one spoke up for him anymore.
He’s neither pitiful nor helpless, he’s a monster! The netizens who were just frantically calling the police to rescue him are now cursing themselves for being idiots.
Another observant netizen noticed a major problem and wrote tremblingly: 【Haven’t you noticed? The faces Zhang Yang conjures up all seem to belong to celebrities signed to his film and television company! He can transform into whoever he’s familiar with! 】
The massive fan bases of dozens of celebrities were completely stunned by this speculation, and then went on a rampage for their idols. So these celebrities also secretly snuck in, watched the live stream, and were all left feeling utterly disheartened.
Only then did they belatedly realize that signing a contract with the Zhang family wasn’t a step up, but rather a plunge into a fire pit. With a boss who could turn into their appearance at any moment, their rights to reputation, life, and property were not guaranteed, so how could they talk about development?
Is this situation terrifying? Absolutely terrifying! Are the consequences serious? To others, perhaps it doesn’t matter much, but for these celebrities who rely on their looks, it’s like the end of the world. If Teacher Fan hadn’t suddenly started this live stream, they would never have imagined that such a monster existed in the world!
When everyone’s hearts were frozen by fear, Zhang Yang, who had repeatedly failed yet tried again, suddenly conjured up a face so handsome it was almost otherworldly.
The vending machine jingled, opening its storage compartment for him. Overjoyed, he leaned down, eagerly pulled out the intact vial of drug, and drank it down in a frenzy.
Only then did Song Rui, who had been controlling the live stream, press a button to capture a screenshot of Zhang Yang’s head raised high, take a screenshot, and send it to the discussion forum, asking: 【Is he the murderer captured in those three videos? 】
When netizens took a closer look, they were all stunned.
This face was none other than Fan Jialuo’s! His cheeks were so gaunt, his expression so ferocious, and his eyes so greedy. He was the very same murderer who had committed three horrific crimes and eaten human hearts just a week ago! His vicious appearance was already deeply etched in everyone’s minds, no one could mistake him!
However, not far from this face, another identical face stood by indifferently. This bizarre sight stunned the viewers in the live stream, finally making them realize that this live stream was not a joke or a cruel game played by Fan Jialuo, but a face-to-face confrontation with the murderer.
He never uttered a single lie, he was truly innocent!
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
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Chapter 258. Zhang Yang’s Disheveled State
Fan Jialuo’s alibi, once released, predictably caused a strong reaction. Whether the public was willing to admit it or not, in their hearts, they had always regarded Fan Jialuo as an anomaly.
His taciturn nature and strangely powerful abilities made him an anomaly to this society.
If anything bad happens, especially something with a slightly supernatural element, as long as it has even the slightest connection to him, the first thought that comes to mind is——Ah! I knew he was weird all along!
Therefore, Zhang Yang’s plan was originally very successful. He drew inspiration from the Ma You incident and tried to portray Fan Jialuo as a public enemy. However, he did not expect that before the plan even started, Fan Jialuo had already sensed it and taken precautions based on his intuition.
The video released by Song Rui showed the public a different side of Fan Jialuo, one that was different from his cold, aloof, and powerful demeanor. In the quiet of the night, he would also show a confused and uneasy expression, in front of close friends, he would also laugh carefree, like a simple and innocent boy.
No one can deny the powerful allure of his strikingly handsome face, nor can they deny how perfectly Song Rui’s extraordinary temperament complements his enigmatic nature. When the two of them are together, the surrounding air seems to become warm and sweet, this feeling flows from the screen, melting the hearts of many.
【My heart can’t take this, the scene of Teacher Fan and Dr. Song together is so beautiful! I originally came here to rant, but now I’ve fallen into a shipper pit and can’t get out! 】
【This security footage is kind of grainy, but I’ve only stared at his face a few hundred times, no big deal. 】
【Does anyone remember those three murder videos? Before the cyber police deleted them, I genuinely believed the murderer was Fan Jialuo, but after watching this surveillance footage, I simply can’t reconcile the image of Teacher Fan, who was smiling like a child, with that evil face! They are not the same person at all! 】
【I had the same feeling! The faces are the same, but the eyes, expressions, and temperament don’t match at all! After watching this surveillance video, I’m 100% certain that Teacher Fan would never kill someone! 】
【Duh! Didn’t you see how happy he was with his boyfriend? With a boyfriend to cuddle and sleep with on a cold winter night, who the hell would be out there killing people randomly! 】
【There are too many suspicious points in this case. And I feel that the previous claims that Teacher Fan should be burned alive were orchestrated by online trolls! 】
【Teacher Fan in this surveillance video is Teacher Fan I admire. The murderer in three murder videos are definitely fake! 】
Love and warmth are the most powerful forces in the world. Perhaps it was the softest side of Fan Jialuo that he had never shown to anyone that touched the hearts of the public, or perhaps it was his exceptionally handsome face that was too deceptive, coupled with the repeated official support and clarifications for him, this vigorous “anti-Fan Jialuo campaign” was brought to a halt after only a few hours.
Zhang Yang watched helplessly as his plan failed, and the anger and frustration he felt were indescribable.
He smashed the tablet on the spot, angrily shouting, “Didn’t I tell you to find a hacker to hack his security system? Why does he still have an alibi?”
“The hacker said that he was immediately subjected to strong magnetic field interference after infiltrating his home network, and he couldn’t even get into the database. Boss, we hired a lip-reading expert, and they found that he had already sensed something before our plan even started. He called Song Rui, said he had a bad feeling, and then used the magnetic field to envelop the entire residence.”
Zhang Yang’s subordinates lowered their heads, concealing their fear of Fan Jialuo, “He is the strongest Psychic in China. It’s not that easy to scheme against him.”
Zhang Yang kicked the coffee table to pieces and cursed, “FHM! Why have so many official entities stepped forward to speak up for Fan Jialuo? This is a murder case. Shouldn’t they be cautious before the truth is revealed? When did Fan Jialuo’s connections become so powerful? There must be something I don’t know about.”
He thought and thought, but still couldn’t figure it out, “Yan Quanling just solved the Ma You murder case. Logically speaking, shouldn’t he be the one who hates people like Ma You who kill people everywhere because of their special abilities? Why is he so protective of Fan Jialuo? How dare he take this matter directly to the top and actually get a special release order?”
Some matters become all the more baffling the more one ponders them, Zhang Yang soon realized he might have overlooked a crucial piece of information. The relationship between Fan Jialuo, Chief Yan, and even the higher-ups went far beyond mere cooperation——there had to be tighter bonds of shared interest connecting them.
But what kind of bond could compare to the drug he had developed himself? Zhang Yang couldn’t figure it out, and this only made him feel more frustrated.
However, he was also 100% certain that the three videos were genuine, and that the authorities would definitely not find any flaws or be able to catch the real culprit. Because the real culprit was none other than “Fan Jialuo,” and with that face clearly visible, Fan Jialuo could never wash away this stain for the rest of his life.
As long as he carries suspicion, top leadership will eventually become wary of him and may even try to deal with him. A powerful, uncontrollable person who has no weaknesses yet is tainted will find it difficult to survive in a world full of ordinary people.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yang finally forced a smile and grinned sinisterly.
Just then, Meng Zhong led a group of police officers into his home, presented him with a summons, and ordered him to go to the police station.
Zhang Yang is now considered an official, so naturally he wouldn’t clash with the police. While putting on his coat, he forced a smile and said, “Director Meng, long time no see. I heard you’ve been doing quite well lately? What did you summon me for this time? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Meng Zhong glanced around the living room and saw that Chang Qi and the others had not only left the Green River Research Institute safely but had also become Zhang Yang’s bodyguards. He felt a sense of relief and secretly chuckled to himself. They say everyone has their own ambitions, and only now did he realize how damn true that was. Who would have thought that comrades who had risked their lives together would turn against each other over a small vial of drug?
“Whether you’ve committed a crime or not, you know it in your heart. We’ve asked you to cooperate with the investigation. Once we get there, you’ll naturally find out the situation.” Meng Zhong gave Zhang Yang a push, but couldn’t move him.
Chang Qi and the others lowered their heads, a sarcastic smile playing on their lips. The once incredibly skilled elite soldier, the genetically enhanced human with innate talent, was now nothing more than that in their eyes.
Meng Zhong:……
FHM! Exactly how many vials did Zhang Yang swallow, and how many mutants did he feed on? Why does he feel as immovable as an iron fortress?
Zhang Yang chuckled softly, then shook his head as if in resignation, before striding towards the door. He wasn’t intimidated by these people’s demands. If they had any leverage over him, they wouldn’t be displaying this frustrated expression, clearly wanting to kill him yet powerless to do anything about it.
Fan Jialuo is definitely going to take the blame for this. Although he has an alibi, Zhang Yang can still set up the same scheme again when he’s not on guard. Old methods don’t matter, as long as they work.
The public’s doubts about Fan Jialuo were not completely dispelled, instead, a seed of suspicion was secretly planted in their hearts. In the future, whenever similar events occurred, this seed would quickly take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree. There would be many more opportunities to plot against Fan Jialuo in the future.
With this in mind, Zhang Yang remained relaxed.
They had just stepped into the investigation team’s office when a technician rushed in, report in hand, and exclaimed in astonishment, “The blood the killer left at the scene isn’t human or animal blood, it’s a highly volatile and destructive liquid. We can’t detect any DNA data.”
The chief investigator glanced at Zhang Yang and said coldly, “Go and take a sample from Fan Jialuo. Such special blood can be traced to its source without DNA comparison.”
“Okay, we’ll go collect samples right away.” The technician ran back to the lab to get his tools.
Zhang Yang glanced at the chief investigator with an ordinary expression, then lowered his eyes, concealing the smile in his pupils. He knew that for people like them, the blood in their bodies was no longer blood, there was no DNA to compare. As long as these people took Fan Jialuo’s blood, they would definitely be able to match the characteristics of the blood he left behind.
Who could have imagined that such a unique type of blood would be found in the bodies of a group of people simultaneously? This serves as the very piece of irrefutable evidence that nails the case against Fan Jialuo.
Led by Meng Zhong, Zhang Yang entered an interrogation room, his mind filled with smugness and arrogance at the impending success of his plan. He paid no attention to his surroundings. When he was startled awake by the sound of the door closing, he looked up and found Fan Jialuo sitting at the far end of the room, scrutinizing him with a dark gaze.
A beam of dazzling light shone above his head, while shadows enveloped him. His skin was so white it was almost translucent, but his eyes were like pitch-black abyss.
“Sit down!” He commanded matter-of-factly.
Zhang Yang plunged headlong into this abyss, staggering over and sitting down opposite him. The moment his bottom touched the cold chair, he snapped back to reality and demanded sharply, “Why is it you?”
“Why can’t it be me?” Fan Jialuo’s fingertips twitched slightly, and a vast magnetic field, like a ferocious beast, slowly separated from his body, lurking in the light, in the shadows, and even in Zhang Yang’s heart, baring its teeth and licking its lips, watching intently, ready to pounce.
This invisible intimidation was more terrifying than a direct confrontation. Zhang Yang jumped to his feet and strode towards the door, shouting angrily, “What does Meng Zhong mean by locking me up with you? Is he settling a personal score? I’m filing a complaint! I’m here to cooperate with the police investigation, not to confront a serial killer!”
Turning around, he noticed a vending machine in the long, narrow interrogation room. Its cartoonish design and vibrant colors seemed out of place in the dark and cramped space. It stood by the door, its brightly lit screen displaying a blurry outline of a human head, with the words “Please scan your face to shop” displayed next to it.
Zhang Yang stared blankly, but his steps didn’t falter. Just as he was about to cross the vending machine and touch the doorknob, his body was stopped by an invisible wall. The impact was quite hard, leaving his nose slightly red and his face contorted in pain.
Fan Jialuo turned to look at the left wall, where a round wall clock hung, its hour and minute hands pointing precisely to 3:30.
At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people flooded into live stream room 6752 on the xx platform, with the number of viewers increasing by thousands or even tens of thousands every second. Fortunately, the platform had made ample preparations, which prevented the server from crashing.
Everyone wants to know who committed those three tragedies and why there are two Fan Jialuo in the world.
At 3:30, two figures appeared on the previously dark screen. One person sat calmly on the ground, while the other was punching the air violently, looking rather crazy.
【Is this person who’s gone crazy Zhang Yang? The most handsome rich second-generation? 】Soon, netizens recognized Zhang Yang.
【It’s him! Why is he in the same live stream room as Fan Jialuo? Where is the murderer? 】
This was probably a question everyone wanted to ask.
Fan Jialuo seemed to hear everyone’s questions, and slowly said, “You are the one who committed the murder.”
Viewers in the live stream: !!!
Police officers standing in the observation room: ? ? ?
The chief investigator realized that Zhang Yang had fallen into a trap and immediately ordered someone to open the interrogation room door to rescue him. Only then did they realize that despite their efforts, they were helpless to do anything but stare through an impenetrable barrier of air, watching Zhang Yang thrash around the narrow room like a caged animal.
He screamed, roared, kicked, and pounded, but nothing worked, he only injured himself. A few minutes ago, he was a well-dressed, elegant gentleman, a few minutes later, he was disheveled, covered in sweat, and looked as if he had rolled around on the ground in a sorry state.
The chief investigator unleashed his supernatural power to attack the layer of air, but was injured by the rebounding magnetic field.
His jaw loosened, and he nearly vomited blood. When he looked up, he saw that Fan Jialuo was still sitting in the same spot, looking so lazy and relaxed. Setting up such an unbreakable barrier, isolating everyone, seemed to be an easy task for him.
Only then did the chief investigator vaguely realize that even though he possessed strange abilities, entered another level, and became a higher life form different from ordinary people, he was still at the bottom of the food chain.
Looking at Zhang Yang, who was in a terrible state, and then looking back at Su Fengxi, who was dead, Ma You, who knelt down and apologized to the people of the whole country, and the disciples of the Tianshui Sect whose Taoist Temples had all been demolished…… it seemed that as long as they encountered Fan Jialuo, these arrogant and overbearing people would all be plunged into the abyss.
The chief investigator swallowed a mouthful of blood and abandoned the rescue.
Seeing these people retreat helplessly, heads bowed in dejection, Zhang Yang realized he couldn’t escape. He wiped his mouth, smoothed his hair, then turned around, a contemptuous smile on his face, “You say I’m the murderer? What evidence do you have?”
“The evidence will come, it just will take some time.” Fan Jialuo extended his hand, politely inviting, “Have a seat, let’s wait together.”
“Okay, I’ll wait with you.” Zhang Yang was relieved, thinking that he wanted to trap him here and let Meng Zhong and his men go outside to find evidence.
The most conclusive evidence is Fan Jialuo’s face. If this cannot be refuted, Meng Zhong and his group will not be able to make any waves.
Zhang Yang sat down with an air of nonchalance, his long legs crossed, his toes dangling back and forth, looking quite content. It was a pity that his earlier kicking had torn the toes of his shoes, this display only made his disheveled and pathetic state more obvious.
Fan Jialuo’s gaze followed his dusty trousers to the uneven, torn toe of his shoe. He didn’t say a word, but simply raised his eyebrows slightly. The sense of superiority created by his elegance and casualness was naturally revealed, forming a stark contrast with Zhang Yang’s bluff.
Zhang Yang’s shoe toes, which had been swaying back and forth, froze in mid-air.
Standing in the observation room, Song Rui pressed his fist to his lips and coughed softly.
Meng Zhong, however, lacked his composure. Pointing at the mirror opposite him, he chuckled and cursed, “Look at this piece of shit!”
The viewers in the live stream were amused, but still wondered: 【Zhang Yang is the murderer? Impossible! The face captured in the video is clearly that of Fan Jialuo! 】
【Teacher Fan never lies. Let’s wait and see. 】
So they waited for five days and five nights. People in the live stream came and went, only to see the two sitting face to face, silent, like two statues. What was even more terrifying was that they hadn’t eaten or drunk anything during this time, yet they remained conscious.
However, these two people were still different, and the differences were significant.
Fan Jialuo remained as handsome and languidly relaxed as ever. Zhang Yang, however, had deeply sunken cheeks, and his skin had become rough and dry at a visible pace, taut against his bony frame. He had clearly lost a lot of weight, his once-fitting suit now hung loosely, as if it would fall apart at the slightest touch.
Fan Jialuo held his hand in front of his face, sensing his movements as he whispered, “That drug caused your body’s cells to burn and regenerate continuously, leading to a complete transformation. Your metabolism is dozens, even hundreds of times faster than a normal person’s. If you don’t replenish enough energy in time, you’ll age into a skeleton, yet because of your mutation, you’ll always retain a breath of life. You can’t die, and you can’t live. How can I describe what you’ll look like then? Let me think——”
Fan Jialuo withdrew his hand, lowered his eyes and chuckled, “Old monster, is that title suitable for you?”
The words “old monster” were undoubtedly Zhang Yang’s sore spot, piercing his sensitive nerves like a sharp arrow. What he feared and resented most was becoming like that old monster. He suddenly stood up, intending to attack Fan Jialuo, but caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror out of the corner of his eye.
His deeply sunken eye sockets and cheeks sculpted his handsome face into a skull, his arms, emerging from his shirt sleeves, were as thin as two withered branches his skin was dry, sallow, and wrinkled, bearing a striking resemblance to the old monster he loathed most! In just five short days, he had become nothing but a skeleton!
He was terrified, and his weak body collapsed back down before he could even stand up straight.
He needs energy, lots and lots of energy!
Impatient netizens, seeing Zhang Yang’s terrifying appearance, were stunned. It took them a long time to type out a line of frantic text with trembling hands: 【Look at him! Doesn’t Zhang Yang, who’s become so thin, look just like the ghostly figure who committed the three massacres? I’m starting to really believe in Fan Jialuo now! 】
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Leave a Comment
Chapter 257. Alibi Is Dog Food
After watching the three videos directly in Dr. Song’s mind, Fan Jialuo opened his eyes, slowly and gently withdrawing his consciousness, and said, “It seems I won’t need this special release order.” He then looked at the mirror beside him and nodded politely, “Chief Yan, Director Meng, thank you for your help. Also, please convey my gratitude to the Leader.”
“You’re welcome.” Chief Yan replied instinctively, then pointed at the mirror in astonishment and exclaimed, “He……he can see us?”
Meng Zhong shook his head and chuckled, “This is Teacher Fan’s special way of greeting us. You’ll get used to it. As long as we stand in the same place as him and breathe the same air, even if there’s a wall between us, he can sense our presence.”
Chief Yan’s astonishment quickly subsided. After all, Teacher Fan had created too many miracles for him, and his mental fortitude was well-honed. He strode to the next room, pushed open the door, and asked, “Teacher Fan, why did you say this special release order is useless?”
“Because I don’t intend to leave the police station, I’m going to break the killer’s scheme here.” Fan Jialuo said calmly.
Song Rui further explained, “The person behind this leaked the case online within hours of it happening, making it known worldwide. He will definitely have paparazzi staking out the area. Once we leave the police station, rumors will immediately circulate that there is ‘judicial injustice’ and ‘someone is protecting Fan Jialuo.’ This fire might even spread to Chief Yan. So we discussed it and decided not to leave, but to stay here and solve the case.”
“Hey, wait, when did you two discuss this? I didn’t hear anything.” Meng Zhong dug at his ear, making it clear he was still young and his hearing was perfectly fine.
However, all he received was a knowing smile from Fan Jialuo and Song Rui as they looked at each other.
Meng Zhong couldn’t help but sarcastically remark, “Don’t tell me you communicate with your minds.”
That’s true.
Fan Jialuo and Song Rui glanced at each other again, their smiles becoming even more knowing.
Meng Zhong:……
Chief Yan asked the most crucial question, “Do you know who the murderer is? Is this case is related to ours——”
He looked around warily, realizing that this was not his territory, and stopped talking.
But Song Rui understood his meaning and shook his head, saying, “This case has nothing to do with ours. Think about it carefully. How serious was our case? Serious enough to affect the fate of the nation. Once discovered, the entire country would be mobilized to investigate it thoroughly. We understand this, and so does the person who switched the antiques. No matter how powerful they are, they wouldn’t dare to confront the state apparatus head-on. If they really had that ability, they wouldn’t need to hide all this time. So after the case came to light, they would definitely hide and observe rather than actively provoke us.”
Chief Yan nodded repeatedly, agreeing with the statement.
Meng Zhong retorted, “What if they’re just arrogant, have a brain fart, or make a stupid move?”
“Do you think someone who has meticulously planned for nine years would be arrogant, act irrationally, or make a foolish move?” Song Rui retorted.
Meng Zhong:……
Fan Jialuo tapped the table with his slender fingertips, “Whether it’s them or not, you’ll know once I catch the murderer and conduct the trial.”
Meng Zhong immediately responded, “Teacher Fan, please feel free to ask us for anything. We will do our best to assist you in this case. I just noticed that this investigation team is acting strangely, their approach to solving cases is more like forced confessions than actual investigations.”
“Could you please bring Zhang Yang to this interrogation room?” Fan Jialuo asked.
Meng Zhong nodded without hesitation, “Of course, if the police summon him for questioning, he has no choice but to come. He now cooperates with the country, and his prestige is indeed greater than before, but he is even less likely to openly defy the law enforcement and judicial bodies. People within the system must abide by the rules of the system, and he should understand this.”
Meng Zhong paused for a moment, then asked, “Is he the murderer?”
Fan Jialuo admitted frankly, “It’s him.”
“Okay, I’ll go catch him right now!” Meng Zhong hurriedly left, without any doubt about Teacher Fan’s words.
Chief Yan pressed on, asking, “How exactly did he do that?”
“I will let the whole country see this.” Fan Jialuo placed his hands on the table and said earnestly, “Chief Yan, do you remember our last live broadcast? I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to set up another live broadcast room for me this time. No matter how long it takes, as long as I don’t plan to leave here, please guarantee that the signal of the live broadcast room will not be interrupted.”
Chief Yan was full of doubts, but he still nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Song Rui added, “Also, bring in a facial recognition vending machine and place it in that corner. Here, here, here…… install hidden pinhole cameras in every single one.”
Chief Yan quickly noted down the locations of the cameras. As someone specializing in defense work, he immediately realized that if these cameras were installed in the specific positions as Dr. Song instructed, the interrogation room would have virtually no blind spots. It would be a place where every detail could be clearly observed.
“I’ll send someone to install cameras right away.” Chief Yan took a step to leave, then hesitated for a moment as if remembering something, “What’s the meaning of that facial recognition vending machine? What can we do with that thing?”
“It is going to solve the crime. Sit back and watch, you’ll find out soon enough.” Song Rui said, keeping everyone in suspense.
Chief Yan still had a lot of questions to ask, but remembering that these two men were both incredibly insightful and had unwavering judgment, he decided that it was alright not to ask. After all, doing what they said was sure to be right.
After giving instructions to Meng Zhong and Chief Yan, Song Rui called Xiao Li and asked him to publish Fan Jialuo’s alibi online. He repeatedly emphasized that the South City District Branch’s official website should not be used, nor should his own private account be used, just find a few marketing accounts.
“……Find another group of online trolls to hype this up and guide public opinion. Don’t be afraid to spend money.” Song Rui solemnly instructed, “I will personally cover all expenses. As long as it’s effective quickly, I don’t mind how much it costs. Send me your account number, and I’ll transfer ten million to you first. Also, I’ll give you permission to access my home surveillance footage and upload it online.”
Xiao Li had handled many cases of cyberbullying and was no stranger to how to hype things up and guide public opinion, so he immediately agreed.
After hanging up the phone, Song Rui silently transferred the money to him.
Fan Jialuo glanced at him every now and then, pursed his thin lips, hesitated for a while, and then sighed, “I’m sorry to have troubled you.”
“I’m happy to spend money for you.” Song Rui replied matter-of-factly.
Fan Jialuo was stunned for a moment, then turned his head away and subtly curled the corners of his lips.
Yet at that moment, Song Rui shot him a swift glance. Then, narrowing his own long, slender eyes, he smiled silently.——
The online uproar has yet to subside. Those who once regarded Fan Jialuo as a hero have now become the main force attacking him. This is simply because those three videos were too real, too terrifying, and too difficult to refute.
These people wanted to say, ‘it isn’t true’, yet they couldn’t find a single reason to back it up. There is a saying that hearing is deceptive while seeing is believing, could what they witnessed with their own eyes possibly be false? If they couldn’t even convince themselves, how could they hope to convince others? To defend a homicidal maniac like Fan Jialuo was tantamount to devaluing human life.
By now, the existence of the anomalies is a matter of common knowledge among the masses and has been categorized as demons and monsters, placed in opposition to humanity. Those three videos exposed Fan Jialuo’s identity as an anomaly, making him undoubtedly an enemy of the masses.
There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that warns against those who are not of our kind. And Fan Jialuo is that very person, a cannibalistic one at that. How could the masses possibly trust or support him?
He has 150 million followers on Weibo, yet not a single person dares to stand up for him. This is no longer a moral issue, it’s a matter of life and death. Faced with irrefutable evidence, who dares to openly declare him innocent?
While the public one sidedly attacked Fan Jialuo, even clamoring to burn him at the stake, a paparazzi studio that specialized in exposing scandals suddenly dropped two videos with incredibly clickbait titles——《The Truth Fan Jialuo Wants to Hide Is Here!》
Netizens, extremely interested in the three family murder cases, immediately flocked to the site. However, upon opening the first video, they discovered it had been recorded since 9:30 PM the previous night and continued throughout the entire night. Wasn’t 9:30 PM the time the first tragedy occurred?
Why is Fan Jialuo staying at home? This luxuriously decorated yet empty hall must be his home, right?
Someone immediately shared the fact: 【This is indeed the Fan family’s old mansion. I’ll show you photos of banquets held here in the past. #AttachedPhotos# 】
【The man he was with looked so familiar! 】
【It’s Dr. Song Rui! 】
【Holy crap, what are they doing? Why is Fan Jialuo stroking Dr. Song’s hair while talking? There’s a saying, a man’s head and a maiden’s waist may be admired with the eyes, but never defiled with the touch. Doesn’t Fan Jialuo know that? 】
Netizens’ attention was unknowingly drawn to the two people chatting intimately. One was strikingly handsome, the other strikingly dashing, their interaction was a visual treat in itself.
What’s even more eye-catching was that neither of them smiles much in public, often keeping a straight face and appearing aloof and distant. However, when they face each other, the corners of their mouths curve into a beautiful arc, and the joy overflowing from their eyes can almost be seen through the screen.
When Song Rui entered the hall, he was wearing pajamas with a thick coat over them and slippers, looking like he was in a hurry. Upon seeing Fan Jialuo, his tense expression visibly relaxed, and he took off his coat, naturally draping it over the other man’s shoulders.
Fan Jialuo stared at his messy hair sticking out to the left and right, and a smile curved his lips, making him look quite adorable.
After they took their seats on the sofa, Fan Jialuo found himself completely distracted by the stray lock of hair sticking up on Dr. Song’s head, his fingertips gently stroking it as if caressing it, or perhaps teasing a cat or dog. When Song Rui gently slapped his hand away, he covered his lips and chuckled, his exposed pupils shining under the light, so joyful, so relaxed, as innocent as a young boy.
Seeing him like this simply stunned the audience and melted Dr. Song’s heart. So he lowered his head and let Fan Jialuo stroke his hair.
The two sat together and talked for a while, then picked up flashlights and walked out the door. The surveillance video immediately switched to the outside, so netizens could see more clearly that this was indeed the Fan family’s old residence, with the towering black shadows outside being mountain ranges and the swaying patches around them being trees standing in the cold wind.
The two shone their flashlights around as if checking the situation. As they walked, they held hands. After confirming that there was no unusual activity outside, they returned to the hall.
Once their hands were clasped, they didn’t let go. They held hands tightly while chatting on the sofa, tightly while going upstairs, tightly while walking down the second-floor corridor, and then…… entered the same bedroom. The video rewinds rapidly, and the entire night passes without them coming out.
Netizens who wanted to find out the truth were stunned.
Someone murmured: 【I thought I was here to solve a case, but I ended up being fed dog food! Are Teacher Fan and Dr. Song together? 】
【The video must be fake! 】Some people have raised questions.
But after opening the second video, they all fell silent.
This video was filmed at Song Rui’s home. There were no walls in his house, only functional dividers. The living room, bedroom, kitchen, and study flowed seamlessly into one another in an entirely open layout. His home’s security system was the same as Fan family’s old residence, as clearly indicated by the logo in the upper left corner.
The camera has night vision capabilities, so even when the lights were off, the shooting effect was not affected.
Song Rui was initially fast asleep, but after being woken by a phone call, he seemed a little impatient. He glanced at the screen but immediately sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and a gentle smile spread across his face. Then his face darkened again, and he quickly threw on his coat, slipped on his slippers, and strode out the door. The video camera angle changed to the outside corridor, then to the elevator, and finally to the underground parking lot.
He rushed to the Fan family’s old residence almost without stopping, and both his attire and the time of day perfectly matched the previous video.
Shortly after these two videos were released, the studio released Song Rui’s phone bill, which clearly showed that he received a call from Fan Jialuo around 8:30 pm last night, thus providing even stronger evidence for the authenticity of the two videos.
Netizens were stunned, feeling that their brains simply couldn’t keep up.
If both videos are genuine, then when the incident occurred last night, Fan Jialuo and Song Rui were still at the Fan family’s old residence. Even at the fastest speed, it would take an hour to get from there to the city center. Fan Jialuo doesn’t have wings and can’t fly, so how could he possibly have committed murder at the same time?
The massive online crusade against Fan Jialuo stopped dead in its tracks. A nameless fear instantly paralyzed the entire web.
Some people tried to deny the authenticity of the two videos, but the police department’s official website immediately released a statement: 【After verification, both videos were found to be authentic and reliable, with no signs of editing or fabrication. 】
The company that deployed the security system for the Fan family’s old residence also immediately issued a statement: 【Our company’s surveillance system has cloud storage capabilities, and every recorded video clip can be accessed on a third-party server. With the employer’s consent and authorization, we have just obtained these two video clips from the third party and submitted them to an officially designated authentication agency. We have now received an authoritative certificate confirming their authenticity and reliability. 】
At the end of the Weibo post, the security company attached a photo of the authentication report.
A short while later, the owner of the third-party server also posted a Weibo post confirming the security company’s statement, and incidentally giving their cloud storage service project a free advertisement. With such a huge buzz, anyone who doesn’t jump on the bandwagon would be a fool, especially since Fan Jialuo has official backing.
Seeing one Weibo post after another confirming Fan Jialuo’s innocence, the netizens who were just moments before so agitated suddenly felt incredibly foolish. But those three murder videos were too real, just like these two surveillance videos, there were absolutely no flaws! They were just ordinary people, they had no way of discerning the truth!
【So, what on earth is the truth? Who actually killed them? My head is about to explode! 】
At the same time, countless people clutched their heads and cried out in pain. Their suspicions about the case and their thirst for the truth surged to their peak in an instant.
Song Rui seized the opportunity perfectly and posted a Weibo message——【To find out the truth, everyone can come to live stream room 6752 on the xx platform at 3:30 this afternoon. 】
Netizens with a splitting headache: !!!
This Weibo post quickly garnered hundreds of millions of views and explosive attention.
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
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Chapter 256. Dr. Song’s Inner World
Song Rui had many guesses in his mind, but he wouldn’t share them with the investigation team before meeting Fan Jialuo. He was gradually realizing that these people probably wouldn’t be wholeheartedly dedicated to finding the truth, the more he said, the more trouble he was likely to cause Fan Jialuo.
“I’m providing not just alibi, but also evidence.” Song Rui took out his phone, pulled up the surveillance video from last night, and said, “This is the surveillance footage taken by the security system of the Fan family’s old residence. You can see that at the same time that the first tragedy occurred, Fan Jialuo was with me.”
The chief investigator took his phone, glanced at it a few times, and then forced a smile, “Dr. Song, where is the surveillance video you mentioned? I can’t see it.”
Song Rui snatched the phone, only to find the screen completely black. It had inexplicably malfunctioned, and after restarting, all the files on the phone’s memory and SIM card were lost. In other words, the surveillance video that could serve as Fan Jialuo’s alibi had been destroyed. Even worse, the security system of the Fan family’s old residence, which was connected to the phone, had also been hacked, and all the video data within it had been lost.
Song Rui quickly checked his phone and reconnected to the security system of the Fan family’s old residence, trying to retrieve the video, but all attempts failed.
From the moment he handed the phone to the chief investigator, to the moment the other person returned it, only five or six seconds passed. What can happen in five or six seconds? Even the world’s top hackers probably couldn’t simultaneously hack into a mobile phone and a high-end security system and delete all the data on them.
But this person managed to do it, and without anyone noticing. He didn’t touch any of the phone’s keys, he simply placed his palm against the casing.
Song Rui’s eyes flashed, and he immediately understood, “You are an Esper too.”
Who else but an Esper could possess such bizarre abilities?
The chief investigator crossed his arms and said with a half-smile, “Dr. Song, what are you talking about?”
Song Rui gripped his now reset phone and calmly said, “No, I didn’t say anything.”
“Since you can’t produce any evidence and your alibi is unreliable, then leave. This matter has nothing to do with you from beginning to end, and getting involved will not do you any good. Please.” The chief investigator stood up, opened the door to the meeting room, and made a gesture to shoo him away.
Song Rui remained firmly seated, his tone unyielding, “I want to see Fan Jialuo.”
“This is the police headquarters, not the South City District Branch. You can’t just see whoever you want.” The chief investigator looked impatient.
“Is that so? But I believe that with a very clear alibi and me being Fan Jialuo’s lawyer, I have the right to see him.”
“A clear alibi? Where did you get that?” The chief investigator chuckled, his crooked, upturned lips revealing utter contempt.
“I have submitted the evidence to the Leader. This is the special release order issued by the Leader. May we see Fan Jialuo?” Chief Yan and Meng Zhong suddenly appeared at the door with a document. The red seal representing authority on the first page of the document deeply stung the eyes of the chief investigator.
He never expected that Chief Yan would actually take this case to the top. Wasn’t he afraid that the top leadership would think he was making a mountain out of a molehill? What’s even more absurd is that someone as insignificant as Fan Jialuo actually deserves a special release order from the top leadership. What makes him worthy of it?
Seeing the surprised expression on the chief investigator’s face, Song Rui seemed thoughtful. He straightened the hem of his suit jacket, smoothed out the wrinkles on his sleeves, and slowly said, “I guess you don’t usually like to study?”
The chief investigator looked at him with a mixture of bewilderment and anger.
“If you maintain good study habits, you should know that there is now a way to store files called cloud storage. Deleting the files on my phone and the files in the security system is useless. I have already entrusted a third-party server to store these surveillance videos on my behalf, and they have already been sent to trustworthy people.”
Song Rui brushed past the chief investigator, tapped his temple with his fingertip, and said contemptuously, “Whether a person is strong or not depends mainly on their brains and character. You’re no good at either of those.”
The chief investigator almost fainted from anger, but Chief Yan and Meng Zhong were standing next to Song Rui. Both of them were of higher rank than him, and they were holding special release orders personally issued by the supreme leader, so he didn’t dare to shout at all.
The top leadership has taken notice of this case, so as the chief investigator, his every move and word will be reported. If he makes even the slightest mistake and leaves a bad impression on the top leadership, his career will suffer a devastating blow.
He finally became an Esper and gained the confidence to climb higher, so how could he possibly stumble at the very beginning?
With this in mind, the chief investigator had no choice but to abandon the previously made plan and prepare to proceed as things progressed.——
In the interrogation room, two police officers were questioning Fan Jialuo. Their attitude wasn’t exactly hostile, but it wasn’t far off either. They wouldn’t give him water or a comfortable chair, and they shone a harsh, white light directly into his eyes. They also handcuffed his hands and feet to heavy iron balls.
“Tell me, where were you at 9:30 last night?” One of the police officers slammed his fist on the table.
The incandescent light bulb was very close to Fan Jialuo’s face, so close that the heat emanating from the bulb could almost scorch the ends of his hair. Yet he could keep his eyes open, staring directly at the blinding light, his pupils not secreting any tears of reason, nor showing any signs of panic, anxiety, or confusion.
He sat there, calm and composed, his hands, even with heavy iron balls hanging from them, easily clasped together and resting on his knees. He could even cross his legs and casually swing them, seemingly oblivious to the weight he carried.
“I was at home at 9:30 last night,” he said calmly and gently.
“Liar! At 9:30 last night, you committed murder on XX Road. The surveillance video clearly captured the entire process. Tell me, why did you do that? What benefit would you gain from eating a human heart?” The two police officers immediately convicted him upon arrival and then went straight to the motive for the murder.
Fan Jialuo’s voice remained low and slow, “Could you show me that murder video?”
“Just confess and cut the crap. Why are you looking for the video? It’s your own damn crime, as if you don’t already know what happened?” The two police officers kept pressing him for confession, completely ignoring his pleas.
Fan Jialuo realized that these people weren’t there to interrogate him, but to convict him. They just wanted him to sign the conviction quickly and wouldn’t listen to a word he said. He knew nothing about the details of the three cases, had lost his freedom, and was now completely in the dark, unable to learn anything.
He twitched his fingertips, wanting to release a magnetic field and use the memories and eyes of these two police officers to understand the outside world, but then suddenly dismissed the idea.
The magnetic field he had been gathering at his fingertips silently receded into his body. His eyes were lowered, and he focused intently on the interrogation table. This table had truly suffered a lot, it was covered with scratches, and within those scratches were some dark brown stains, as if they were dried blood or splattered ink, and it was unclear who had left them.
Was it a police officer who lost control of his emotions in anger? Or perhaps some unfortunate prisoner?
Fan Jialuo suddenly became very interested in the table and even distributed the magnetic field on its surface, trying to understand its troubled past through these crisscrossing engravings.
His calm expression gradually turned into one of interest, but he completely ignored the prejudiced questions from the two police officers. They roared, screamed, and shouted in his ear, but all they got in return was a pleasing and serene smile.
He was completely oblivious to the fact that this room held more than just himself and a table, there were two actual people here. It was precisely this dismissive attitude that was so incredibly maddening
So when Song Rui walked into the interrogation room with the special release order, the two police officers were driven completely insane with rage. They were throwing cups, kicking stools, and were one second away from beating him up. If that interrogation table hadn’t been bolted to the concrete with four screws, their first instinct would have been to flip the damn thing over.
Upon seeing the release order, they became even more furious, but there was nothing they could do but slam the door shut and go to process the bail for Fan Jialuo.
A loud bang finally snapped Fan Jialuo out of his contemplation of the table’s ‘tragic history’. He lightly lifted his eyelids to see Dr. Song, then curled his thin, crimson lips into a smile.
“I knew you would come.” He said, spreading his pale palms on the table, his tone extremely cheerful, “So I’ve been waiting for you.”
Song Rui naturally rested his hands in his palms, his voice deep and steady, “As long as you’re here, I’ll always come.”
They looked deeply into each other’s eyes and chuckled softly.
“Your alibi has been filed, but without a way to disprove those three pieces of murder footage, I could only secure a special release order for you, not an absolute pardon. You’re still not entirely in the clear.”
The first simply lets him walk out for now, the second officially wipes his slate clean. The difference between them was obvious to Fan Jialuo.
“I want to see those three videos.” He said in a low voice.
Fan Jialuo instinctively reached for his phone, but then suddenly remembered, “My phone was damaged by the chief investigator, and all the data on it is lost.”
“He is an Esper.” Fan Jialuo asserted.
“You sensed it?” Song Rui placed his phone on the table.
“When you first walked in, I saw the magnetic field he left on you, pale blue, and the aura was from the same source as that drug. He must have participated in Zhang Yang’s experiment.”
“So, the one making moves against you from the shadows is Zhang Yang?” Song Rui guessed.
“I’ll probably have to watch the video to be sure. If it is him, it should be related to the missing antiques case.” Fan Jialuo said, offering his own guess.
“No, the Zhang family has nothing to do with the antique case.” Song Rui denied.
“Why?”
“When Chief Yan showed the special release order from the Leader, the chief investigator seemed very surprised. He couldn’t understand why your case would attract the attention of the top leadership. But the special task force is conducting a thorough investigation into the Taoist Sects’ people and those four families. If it is the mastermind, it must have realized that his crimes have been exposed, and must also know that as the special advisor for this case, you will receive special care from the top leadership. Taking action against you at this time would be to obstruct the progress of solving the case, and would inevitably encounter a lot of resistance and pressure from the top leadership.”
After a moment’s thought, Fan Jialuo understood and replied, “However, the chief investigator was unaware of the situation, he was taken aback by the extent of my connections, which indicates that he had no involvement in the antique-swapping scheme. Furthermore, the fact that he is one of Zhang Yang’s men, and was acting under Zhang Yang’s orders to target me, suggests that the Zhang family, too, has no connection to the case.”
“Yes, provided, of course, that the one operating against you is actually Zhang Yang.” Song Rui nodded in agreement.
“I’ll know whether it’s him or not once I’ve seen the video.” Fan Jialuo said thoughtfully.
“The footage of the attack has been deleted from the entire internet. I’ll have Meng Zhong send it to me again.” Song Rui picked up his phone.
Fan Jialuo, however, hooked his fingertip and said, “No need, I can see it directly by entering your brain.”
Song Rui was stunned for a while before nodding with his thin lips pursed. After taking off his gold-rimmed glasses, his narrow eyes curved into a joyful arc. He never forgot what Fan Jialuo had said, entering the mind of someone you do not trust is tantamount to suicide.
And yet, he’s now actively asking to enter his own brain. Why?
It stems from unreserved trust, from a reliance where two hearts have merged into one, from the ability to hold each other within ourselves, remaining independent individuals, yet sharing souls that resonate on the same frequency.
Song Rui tried to purse his lips, but the joy in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Infected by his emotions, Fan Jialuo couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Ready?”
“Ready.”
The two held hands, forehead to forehead, and closed their eyes together.
Fan Jialuo’s consciousness entered a pitch-black place without any hindrance. It was extremely cold and damp, and permeated with a stench, like soil soaked in blood. It was also very long and narrow, like a corridor, stretching into an unseen end.
Fan Jialuo was accustomed to unleashing tsunamis and raging waves, stirring up other people’s memories onto their cerebral cortex and then devouring them completely. But when facing Dr. Song, he simply walked slowly down this dark corridor, unwilling to cause it even the slightest damage.
To be honest, its environment wasn’t pleasant, even somewhat harsh, yet it didn’t evoke the slightest dislike in Fan Jialuo. Just thinking about how this was Dr. Song’s inner world made him unconsciously smile. As he walked, the dark, damp corridor began to glow faintly, and then one colorful photograph after another gradually appeared.
Fan Jialuo took a closer look using the fluorescent light, and his pupils couldn’t help but shrink.
These photos didn’t document Dr. Song’s childhood, but rather the face of Fan Jialuo himself. His smiling face, his frowning face, his pensive face, and even his angry face were all captured in these photos.
They floated throughout the corridor, their edges shimmering like stars, illuminating what was once a dark world.
Fan Jialuo’s steps grew slower and slower, and his once lifeless heart seemed to be pounding rapidly. Yet he knew clearly that this body, already dead, could not be resurrected, the so-called heartbeat was merely an illusion. Even so, he was still deeply captivated by this moment. It seemed only Dr. Song could make him truly appreciate the beauty of being alive.
He walked and walked, his fingertips reaching into the void, brushing against the faint yet undeniable stars. Finally, he reached the end of the corridor and saw two huge black-and-white photographs of Dr. Song’s father and mother. He had hidden them deep within his heart.
Fan Jialuo felt secretly relieved. If he had violently disturbed these memories, the two precious photographs would likely have been damaged.
A dazzling sphere of light emerged at the end of the corridor.
Fan Jialuo stepped over the two giant photographs and walked to the sphere of light, only to discover that it contained a video. It was his first meeting with Dr. Song, he was sitting under an incandescent light bulb, while the other was hidden in the shadows, staring at each other like enemies.
The tense scene that once seemed like a predestined encounter now appears in retrospect.
Fan Jialuo could no longer suppress a soft laugh. He looked back at the direction he had come from, where his consciousness was connected, glowing, he looked back at the sphere, which contained the memories of their first meeting, also glowing. The two points of light formed a line, extending from such a distant place, as if piercing straight through Dr. Song’s entire life journey.
Could it be that to Dr. Song, he was just as precious as life itself?
Fan Jialuo covered his face with his hand to stop this arrogant idea, unaware of the delightful smile spreading across his own lips.
Just then, Song Rui’s voice came from afar, “Did you see that?”
Fan Jialuo quickly lowered his hand and asked in a hoarse voice, “Didn’t see it? What on earth are you thinking about all day long?”
Song Rui quickly realized what was happening and chuckled, “Sorry, you’re all I can think about.”
Fan Jialuo had intended to start a conversation to tease Dr. Song, but he never expected to be teased by him instead. He was a little embarrassed for a moment, but then chuckled softly, “No apologies necessary. I like it like this.”
Song Rui, who was teased in return, was stunned for a while before he burst into laughter.
The two held hands, heads close together, both with the same happy smiles on their lips, reluctant to leave the interrogation room.
Meng Zhong and Chief Yan, who were waiting for them in the observation room:……
It took a good several dozen seconds before Song Rui finally managed to dredge those three videos up from the depths of his memory
Fan Jialuo stared at the emaciated, skeletal figure and said in a deep voice, “It’s Zhang Yang. I saw hundreds of faces superimposed on his, he seems to possess the skill of disguise. It seems he’s devoured quite a few other mutants during this time. He seems to have found a way to dig out the jade pendant.”
“These three videos are already widely known, it won’t be easy for us to break his trap.” Song Rui thought to himself.
“I have a way.” Fan Jialuo thought for a moment and then easily curled the corners of his lips into a smile.
Through this exchange of thoughts, Song Rui immediately shared his ideas and began refining the plan. Together, the two seemed capable of solving any problem.
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Leave a Comment
Chapter 255. Homicidal Maniac Fan Jialuo
Not long after Chief Yan hung up the phone, a large number of heavily armed police surrounded the Fan family’s old residence.
Fan Jialuo did not resist, but instead reached out his hands to let them handcuff him. He then shook his head at the agitated Dr. Song, his fingertips drooping downwards.
Song Rui nodded, suppressing his heart pounding as he stood there watching them leave. Since he wasn’t a suspect, but merely staying at the Fan family’s old residence, the police weren’t authorized to detain him, they simply asked him to go to the police station later to give a statement.
To prevent any favoritism in this case, Chief Yan, Meng Zhong, Zhuang Zhen, and others from the South City District Branch, West City District Branch, and even several other branches in Beijing were excluded from the investigation team, because they all had close cooperation with Fan Jialuo and had a very harmonious relationship with him.
If they are involved in this case, the investigation results will lose credibility.
The people currently responsible for detaining Fan Jialuo were elites directly drawn from the police department. They had all undergone rigorous training and act with great caution.
After successfully detaining Fan Jialuo, they locked two metal balls weighing tens of kilograms each to his ankles and then locked him alone in the back of the truck, which was reinforced with several layers of metal plates. They monitored his every move through a small window without ever seeing him.
The investigation team possessed detailed information on Fan Jialuo and knew that his level of danger was comparable to a nuclear bomb, even the slightest movement could trigger a violent explosion, so they dared not relax their vigilance in the slightest.
Watching the modified police vehicle speed away surrounded by dozens of police cars, Song Rui went to the basement and woke Xu Yiyang up. He didn’t approach the circular formation, nor did he dare to look directly at the black dragon that seemed to be swimming in the center. He just stood at the door and called out a few times.
Xu Yiyang groggily got up, rubbing his eyes, and asked, “Where’s Gege?”
“Gege is away on a business trip, he’ll be back in a few days. Go wash up, I’ll take care of you these next few days.” Song Rui said gently.
Xu Yiyang looked disappointed, but he didn’t cry or make a fuss, instead, he obediently put on his slippers and walked out of the formation. After sleeping in such a cold place all night, his face didn’t look sickly at all, instead, it had a rosy glow, as if his body had regained the flow of warm blood.
Song Rui gestured with his head and asked in surprise, “Have you grown taller?”
Xu Yiyang grinned and smiled happily, “I’ve grown a little bit taller.” He held up his fingers to show his height.
Growing up was a natural process for him, but in Song Rui’s eyes, it was nothing short of a miracle. He knew the child before him was already dead, and had lost the chance to grow up. Being able to remain as he was now, living happily and carefree in this world, was already his greatest fortune.
However, Fan Jialuo seemed to feel that this was far from enough. He wanted to give this child not only survival and happiness, but also a sense of security and stability that would always accompany him, and even a sense of belonging to grow up normally.
He wanted to reintegrate the child into the world. And he succeeded.
Song Rui didn’t know what method Fan Jialuo had used, but he suddenly realized that what that person had said yesterday——I could save the vast majority of people——was not just empty talk.
“You’ve grown taller and bigger, are you happy?” Song Rui knelt down to look Xu Yiyang in the eye, a sudden wave of emotion blurring his vision.
“I’m so happy! I want to grow taller than you so I can protect Gege.” Xu Yiyang stood on tiptoe and raised his hand above Song Rui’s head.
“Then good luck.” Song Rui, who usually loathed children, seemed to be giving all his gentleness and patience to the child in front of him. Because he was different, he was the person Fan Jialuo wanted to protect.
Xu Yiyang waved his little fist, slipped on his slippers and ran upstairs. Then, as if remembering something, he hurriedly turned back and put the skull and the Minion that were placed on the quilt into the dragon’s mouth.
Song Rui watched as the two evil objects sank into the hard ground, just like stones sinking into lake water, but he was not surprised at all. He did not rush over to check the situation. Instead, he simply took Xu Yiyang’s little hand, took him to wash up, and then sent him to school.
Upon arriving at Kongfu Primary School, he personally escorted Xu Yiyang to his classroom and had an earnest conversation with the homeroom teacher. He explained that Fan Jialuo had been falsely accused and asked the teacher to keep a close eye on Xu Yiyang for the day, ensuring he was not exposed to any information regarding the matter.
The teachers at Kongfu Primary School had all undergone rigorous training and possessed high moral character, so they immediately agreed.
After settling the child in properly, Song Rui returned to the car, opened his phone, and checked today’s trending news.
Sure enough, news of Fan Jialuo committing murders spread like wildfire across the internet. The three videos were very clear, and the bloody and cruel scenes, as well as the violent and terrifying methods of the crime, were beyond the imagination and tolerance of ordinary people, quickly causing a huge social reaction.
Despite widespread police efforts to scrub the footage, the number of downloads and reposts skyrocketed, allowing the news to spread rapidly like a viral contagion.
If a blank sheet of paper is stained, then everyone sees only the stain, not how pure it once was. Those who regarded Fan Jialuo as a hero seemed to have suffered a devastating blow in an instant, and began to post some extreme remarks online.
They initially didn’t believe the images, but the resourceful media managed to interview three survivors. Their erratic, terrified, and grief-stricken reactions were like a spark falling into a vault, instantly igniting public outrage.
Phrases like, ‘severely punish Fan Jialuo’, ‘burn him’, ‘shoot him’, ‘he’s no good person’, and ‘he deceived the whole world’ frequently appeared on social media, triggering a nationwide frenzy of imitation.
It seemed that in the span of a single night, tearing down Fan Jialuo had become a matter of political correctness.
Everyone wanted to push him into an abyss from which he could never return, because he was once so noble and powerful that he couldn’t afford to make even the slightest mistake.
Powerful people inspire fear in ordinary people, noble people inspire alienation or even rejection in ordinary people.
We’re all the same, so why are you different? That’s the despicable nature of humanity.
Faced with this situation, Song Rui was not surprised at all. Having studied psychology, he knew this was a very common psychological phenomenon. The resulting aversion after a shining image is destroyed, is almost irreversible. The more positive a person’s image, the greater the malice they will suffer once a mistake is exposed.
Suppressing his anxiety, Song Rui clicked on the interview videos of the three survivors.
The first survivor was a sixteen-year-old girl with a pale face, wild and dazed eyes, her head turning around in all directions, looking around in fear, as if she was still deeply immersed in the terrifying atmosphere of being hunted.
“It’s Fan Jialuo, it’s him! I saw it clearly! He broke into my house and killed my parents…… He can eat people! Ahhhhh, what are you doing? Don’t touch me!” She seemed to have gone mad, scratching wildly when the reporter touched her even slightly.
Several medical staff immediately restrained her hands and feet and hurriedly injected her with a sedative.
The second survivor was a middle-aged woman with bloodstains on her forehead, a large scrape on her arm, and a vacant look in her eyes, as if she had lost her soul.
No matter what the reporters asked, she just shook her head and didn’t say a word. However, when the reporters mentioned Fan Jialuo’s name, she screamed and collapsed, lying on the ground convulsing.
She was shocked to the point of having an epileptic fit because of Fan Jialuo.
The reporters quickly stepped back, making way for an open space, and then kept taking pictures of her disheveled appearance, which only made her look more miserable.
The third survivor was a middle-aged man. Compared to the first two interviewees, he was the calmest, but also the most seriously injured. The left side of his body was covered in blood, and his cheek had a deep, bone-revealing wound from a sharp object.
As he was being loaded into the ambulance by paramedics, he stared directly into the camera and shouted, “The murderer is Fan Jialuo! He ripped out my wife’s and son’s hearts and swallowed them alive! It must be him, no one else possesses that kind of bizarre power! Just like Ma You, he’s a homicidal maniac, you’ve all been deceived by him!”
His piercing screams were cut off inside the ambulance. A group of reporters chased after the vehicle, loudly asking all sorts of questions, but were eventually left far behind.
Song Rui turned off the three videos and then carefully watched the video of the crime scene sent by Meng Zhong. He finally understood why the middle-aged man kept saying that the murderer was Fan Jialuo.
Within the camera’s field of view, a middle-aged man was slowly walking home, holding his wife’s hand in one hand and his young son’s hand in the other. Their figures were illuminated by streetlights, and thus, when a man jumped out from the green belt, his face was clearly captured.
He was so thin he was practically unrecognizable as a human, just a skeleton wrapped in scorched skin, looking like a terrifying ghost. His two thin, withered hands danced in the night, leaving afterimages, and in a single glance, he slashed the throats of the woman and the child, taking their lives.
The middle-aged man was terrified. He abandoned his wife and child, turned and ran, quickly escaping the range of the surveillance cameras.
The skeletal, gaunt ghost staggered to the two corpses, its sharp-clawed hand suddenly plunging into their chest cavities, ripping out their still-beating hearts, and wolfing them down.
He ate so eagerly and hastily, as if he were starving to death, the scene was so horrific it could only be described as horrific.
The middle-aged man who had fled earlier ran back at this moment, holding a kitchen knife in his hand, and slashed fiercely at the ghostly figure’s back.
At first, the man managed to hack into the ghostly figure’s flesh, drawing spurts of blood, yet, after a few blows, the ghostly body began to fill out at a visible rate, and its once-fragile skin hardened into something akin to hard metal——impervious to blade or weapon.
The middle-aged man failed to injure the ghostly figure, instead, the snapping and rebounding cleaver slashed his cheek and struck his shoulder, causing him serious injury.
Smelling the blood behind him, the much plumper ghostly figure slowly turned around and stared straight at the middle-aged man.
Under the streetlights, an exceptionally handsome face was revealed. Although his cheeks were deeply sunken, it was not difficult to recognize who he was. After all, someone with such extraordinary looks was a rare find throughout the entire country.
The man stared in astonishment at the ghostly figure, then his throat was grabbed and he was lifted into the air. Fortunately, his act of running through the street with a kitchen knife attracted many passersby. Hearing the noisy footsteps, the ghostly figure abandoned him, leaped into the green belt, and disappeared into the deep night, leaving behind only two corpses with their chests hollowed out.
After that incident, the ghostly figure attacked the homes of a young girl and a middle-aged woman, killing their families, tearing out their hearts, and devouring them on the spot. It seemed to draw power from these beating, bloodied hearts, with each meal, its face grew fuller until it finally reverted to Fan Jialuo’s usual appearance.
In the final shot, he looks at a camera mounted on the living room ceiling, grins, revealing two rows of teeth stained with blood and bits of flesh, his eyes filled with utter cruelty and madness.
Compared to Ma You, his methods of killing were more bizarre and more evil.
Song Rui tapped the screen to freeze the image, then stared intently at the face that was identical to Fan Jialuo’s. He knew these videos were irrefutable evidence and had already caused extremely negative social repercussions. Under such circumstances, no one would believe Fan Jialuo was innocent.
It was precisely because these videos were filled with details that were difficult to explain scientifically that the public was increasingly convinced that the perpetrator was Fan Jialuo. Who else but him could possess such abilities? The mutants are evil, and Fan Jialuo has always belonged to this group, this is an unspoken consensus.
Song Rui turned off the video and browsed through various news pages. Sure enough, he saw many comments convicting Fan Jialuo.
One netizen, believing they had learned the truth, wrote with absolute certainty: 【Why is Fan Jialuo so powerful? Because, like Ma You, he also gains power by killing! His power comes from the hearts of living people! Comrades, think about it. He is the most powerful Psychic in China. If his power is drawn from the hearts of living people, how many people has he killed? Don’t you find it terrifying to think about? 】
This comment was pushed to the top of the list, and the fact that Fan Jialuo was a homicide maniac was now widely accepted by the vast majority of people.
Regardless of who was behind this, he had achieved his objective. He may have lacked the formidable power to confront Fan Jialuo head-on, but the path he chose was the quickest and least strenuous one.
He first used public opinion to destroy Fan Jialuo’s positive image, next, used the power of the state to strip Fan Jialuo of his freedom, biding time while the media narrative brewed and public fury continued to escalate to the point where it can no longer be suppressed. The courts would inevitably sentence him to life imprisonment or death in order to appease the public and restore social order.
Ma You’s fate is exactly what awaits Fan Jialuo.
Realizing what kind of scheme the person behind the scenes was setting up, Song Rui quickly thought of a way to break the deadlock.
While he currently lacked the means to invalidate those three pieces of CCTV footage, he possessed a concrete alibi to clear Fan Jialuo.
The first case occurred at 9:30 p.m., coincidentally, he and Fan Jialuo were chatting in the living room at that time, and their images were still stored in the security system.
With this alone, he could buy Fan Jialuo a little more time. As for how to solve the case and find the murderer, once he met Fan Jialuo and got together, they would naturally come up with a solution.
Song Rui retrieved the surveillance video from the Fan family’s old house, saved it on his phone, and then drove to the police station.
Upon hearing that he was there to provide an alibi for Fan Jialuo, the chief investigator immediately sneered, “Our investigation has revealed that you appear to have an improper relationship with Fan Jialuo. We cannot accept your testimony.”
Song Rui immediately realized that this person harbored deep hostility towards him and Fan Jialuo. His purpose in participating in this case did not seem to be to find the truth, but to thoroughly prove Fan Jialuo’s crimes.
This is probably a scheme orchestrated by the mastermind behind the scenes, who is pushing Fan Jialuo into a corner step by step. Is it because of that antique swapping case?
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Leave a Comment
Chapter 254. Fan Jialuo Committed Murder
TN:- 7 Chapters!!!
Fan Jialuo’s prophecies had been validated countless times, and many had learned a bloody lesson from them. As for the consequences of failing to heed his words——Jian Ya, Liu Zhao, Su Fengxi…… these individuals, who once stood bathed in glory, could step forward right now to bear witness to the truth.
The most recent disaster was Ma You’s insane killing spree. Ignoring Fan Jialuo’s warnings and allowing Lin Nianci’s actions to continue unchecked led to devastating damage to the entire capital city. The bloody scene and the heart-wrenching remorse still haunt Chief Yan’s nightmares, tormenting him night after night.
After leaving the South City District Branch, Chief Yan immediately went to the First Biological Laboratory of China and met with Director Lin, the person in charge there, and had a sincere conversation with him.
In his presence, Director Lin was humble and smiling. But after he left, he immediately summoned Zhang Yang and said with a half-smile, “Guess what? This Yan Quanling came to give us a warning.”
“He’s a major favorite of the authorities, so he sticks his nose into everybody’s business.” Zhang Yang poured two glasses of red wine, then took out a small porcelain vial from his shirt pocket, dripped the blue liquid inside into the wine, gently shook it to mix, and then pushed it to Director Lin’s side.
Red wine is meant to be sipped slowly to truly appreciate its flavor, but the refined Director Lin picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp. He then grabbed the glass next to Zhang Yang and drank it all in one go. He closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and ran his fingertips along the corner of his eye, feeling the fine lines gradually diminishing. A pleased smile involuntarily curved his lips.
Zhang Yang didn’t mind Director Lin’s greedy behavior at all, on the contrary, he narrowed his eyes and watched with keen interest as the man wore an expression of deep intoxication.
“Why did Yan Quanling warn you? We don’t seem to have any conflict of interest with him.” He asked casually.
Director Lin lowered the back of his chair, his tone dismissive, “He brought a prophecy.”
Zhang Yang’s languid expression instantly turned sinister, “A prophecy? He’s very close to Fan Jialuo, so that prophecy was issued by Fan Jialuo, right?”
“Yes, I didn’t hear the exact words, but it was something like the drug we’re developing is poisonous and could cause a large-scale death toll, told us to be careful and it would be best to abort the experiment.” Director Lin relayed.
“If it would kill me, why would I drink it like water every day? I wouldn’t harm myself. Besides, you’ve studied the chemical composition of this drug, and it’s all beneficial to the human body.” Zhang Yang explained briefly.
“Of course I know. I’m a beneficiary myself, so how could I possibly believe him?” Director Lin opened his eyes, a sharp glint flickering within his pupils, “However, I do have one lingering doubt. Zhang Yang, where exactly did the fruit you provided us with come from? And where, specifically, is its cultivation site located? We must conduct a thorough study of the raw materials in order to refine this medicinal agent—did you know that there is still immense room for its perfection?”
Zhang Yang nodded repeatedly to show he understood, but inwardly he scoffed: All this talk of researching raw materials, improving the agent, and enhancing its efficacy was just an excuse for this man to pursue his own selfish interests. What he truly wanted was to produce the fruit for this agent and master the method of cultivating the fruit trees——that was the real profit.
“Director Lin, my Green River Research Institute is also exploring methods for large-scale planting of this fruit tree. Once I have some initial results, we can discuss further cooperation. We aren’t so deeply tied by mutual interest that we can’t be pulled apart, it would be better for each of us to keep a few cards close to our chest——don’t you agree? I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave now. Please carry on with your work.”
Zhang Yang stood up to leave, completely ignoring Director Lin’s suddenly dark expression.
“Yes, we need to strengthen our relationship further, I agree on that. But Xiao Zhang, I bet Yan Quanling will definitely go to the higher-ups and say all sorts of things after he leaves here. You know that Fan Jialuo is indeed a Psychic, and a very powerful one at that. His prophecies have never been wrong, and the higher-ups value him highly. He said our research will cause a major disaster. Do you think the higher-ups will stop our experiment and then settle accounts with your Zhang family for all that mess?”
Director Lin stroked his newly grown, thick black hair and sighed, “Xiao Zhang, when Su Fengxi had that accident, your Zhang family was almost ruined by Fan Jialuo. I was the one who stepped in to save you. Now you turn around and say our relationship isn’t close enough. I’m really heartbroken. You’re still young and don’t know your place when you speak. I won’t hold it against you, but you should go back and think it over. Alright, I will go on with my work now. Don’t forget to close the door behind you when you leave.”
He waved his hand, treating Zhang Yang as casually as if he were teasing a cat or dog.
Zhang Yang’s facial muscles twitched, as if contorting into a grotesque grimace, yet suddenly, with a smile as bright as sunshine, he said, “Lin Shushu, I have never forgotten your kindness. Rest assured, the moment I achieve any results here, you will be the very first person I tell. I’ll be going now, please carry on with your work.”
He bowed and scraped as he backed away, gently closing the door behind him. As he turned around, his fawning face instantly twisted into the shape of a demon.
“Fan Jialuo……” He chewed on those words, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.
At the same time, Director Lin’s lips curled into a contemptuous smile. With a slight movement of his fingers, he snatched a pen from the far end of the table into his palm, then casually compressed it into a steel ball using a magnetic field. Thick black ink splattered onto the table, soiling his hand, but this only fueled his extremely arrogant laughter.
The drug not only restored his youth but also granted him supernatural abilities, further fueling his ambition.
“What would happen if I were to face off against Fan Jialuo?” He closed his eyes and pondered, a look of disdain on his face.
That’s human nature, once they acquire abilities beyond the norm, they start to believe they’re invincible……——
After several days of travel, Fan Jialuo returned to the old residence and went to the basement, intending to rest for the night in the dragon’s mouth. Here, he could forgo the bathtub and draw energy directly from the thick, dark mist.
Xu Yiyang, with a skull and Minion figurine tucked in his arms and a small backpack slung over his shoulder, followed along, still half-asleep.
“Go to sleep.” Fan Jialuo made a makeshift bed for him on the floor.
“Tell me a story.” Xu Yiyang tugged at his Gege’s sleeve.
“Then let me tell you a story from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” Fan Jialuo said, recounting the tale as he went, quickly lulling the child to sleep. He stood up, gently walked to the dragon’s mouth, then sat cross-legged, meditating quietly. As his eyelids lowered, a strange palpitation flashed through his mind, only to vanish in an instant.
If it were an ordinary person, they would definitely think they were hallucinating and then fall asleep, but Fan Jialuo would never miss any tiny intuition, because he had survived by relying on it since he was a child.
He rose to his feet and paced back and forth across the dragon’s mouth, attempting to harness his vast magnetic field and formidable mental power to seize that flash of insight that passes in the blink of an eye, yet he could no longer find it. It had not vanished, but rather had been cut off by some force, this only served to heighten Fan Jialuo’s vigilance.
He didn’t know what the insight was, so he couldn’t find a way to deal with it. He went to the living room on the first floor, picked up his phone, and called Dr. Song.
“What happened?” Song Rui’s languid voice drifted over, it seemed he had already gone to sleep.
“I have a bad feeling and I don’t know what to do.” Fan Jialuo said calmly.
“What did you foresee?” Song Rui’s voice immediately became clear, deep, and alert, followed by the rustling sound of clothes being put on.
“It is precisely because I cannot foresee anything that I feel somewhat uneasy.”
Anything that can make Fan Jialuo uneasy must be something bad, and certainly not something simple. Without a second thought, Song Rui said, “Wait for me at home, I’ll be right there.”
“Then drive safely on your way.” Fan Jialuo did not decline, instead, he offered a sincere word of caution. He accepted this kindness with unreserved ease and without a moment’s hesitation, a gesture tantamount to openly acknowledging a deepening intimacy between the two of them, which caused Song Rui to pause in slight surprise before letting out a soft, low chuckle.
“Okay, I’ll be careful on the way. Turn on all the security systems at home.” As he said this, Song Rui locked the door and strode towards the elevator. In his haste, he hadn’t even changed out of his pajamas, just put on a thick coat.
“I’ll give you permission to connect your phone to my home security system. That way you’ll be able to see me through the security cameras. I remember you downloaded the app for my security system.” Fan Jialuo suggested.
Song Rui smiled even more broadly and quickly passed the authentication, connecting to the security system of the Fan family’s old residence. He said in a low voice, “I’ll also give you access to my home. You can see me anytime you want to see me.”
After a long silence, Fan Jialuo chuckled softly, “Alright.”
As Song Rui walked into the underground parking lot, he asked in a good mood, “Fan Jialuo, We’ve shared our most confidential access information, so doesn’t that make me your best friend?”
“You are my only, best friend.” Fan Jialuo did not evade the question, instead, he answered with utmost seriousness.
Song Rui laughed so hard his steps were a little unsteady. After getting into the car, he said in a hoarse voice, “Wait for me, I’ll be right there.” ——
Song Rui arrived at the old house as quickly as possible. He first accompanied Fan Jialuo on a walk outside to check for any intruders, and then they sat down to discuss what the ominous premonition was.
When Fan Jialuo saw Dr. Song’s messy hair for the first time, he seemed to find it amusing, and the corners of his mouth remained turned up.
“You look exhausted. Never mind, let’s drop the subject. After all, whatever is meant to happen, whether it should or shouldn’t, is bound to happen regardless. No amount of discussion on our part will make any difference. You go on and get some sleep, I’ll make up the bed for you.” Fan Jialuo took Song Rui by the hand and led him toward the second floor.
Song Rui squeezed his hand and asked, “Last time you said you wanted to taste home-cooked food, why? Is it because you have no sense of taste?”
“Yes, I have no sense of taste.” Fan Jialuo retrieved a quilt, speaking in a dispassionate tone, as if discussing someone else’s affairs, “I can taste all the bitterness of the world, but I can’t taste food. Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy——to me, they are all superfluous. Fear, too, is the most useless of emotions——as are hesitation, weakness, and sensitivity. To ensure the absolute strength of this body, I have cast aside every sensation that could be discarded.”
“But you kept the pain.” Song Rui retorted.
“Pain is by no means superfluous.” Fan Jialuo said, shaking his head, “Pain is the most effective defense mechanism. It keeps me alert and conscious at all times, and it also helps me remember what I should remember.”
“Sometimes, I really think you’re a martyr.” Song Rui stared straight at him, his voice low and somber, “Only martyrs take pain for granted. The English word ‘martyr,’ literally means a fatal saint. What kind of path are you walking? Although you’re unwilling to tell me, I’ve already guessed from your words and actions that you’re sacrificing yourself, aren’t you? This could be fatal for you. Do you really think you’re Jesus Christ or primordial god Pangu? Let me tell you, you’re just one person, you can’t save the whole world.”
After a long silence, Fan Jialuo said, “You’re right. I’m just one person, I can’t save the whole world. But if I could, I think I could save the vast majority of people.”
The unease and anger that Song Rui had been suppressing surged up instantly. Just as he was about to continue retorting, Fan Jialuo pressed down on his shoulders, and he suddenly found himself embracing a cold body, two slender fingers pinched his thin lips, forbidding him from uttering another word.
“Go to sleep, you’re tired.” Fan Jialuo whispered in his ear, each word accompanied by a slightly itchy breath.
Lost in unease and anxiety, Song Rui instantly fell into a gentle trap. The person who created this trap was cunning and clear-headed. He knew how to break the conversation, and without any hesitation, fear, or sensitivity, he immediately employed the most direct and effective method.
He was sometimes naive, and sometimes complex. But the more Song Rui understood him, the more profoundly he realized that the true nature of Fan Jialuo was not cold, detached, or aloof, rather, it was sweet, tender, and meltingly soft.
He embraced the cold yet supple body, his head burning as if filled with boiling water, bubbling and gurgling, leaving no room for thought.
Fan Jialuo wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, “Lend me some of your warmth, I like your warmth.”
As he spoke, his magnetic field gently enveloped them, firmly locking in Song Rui’s ever-increasing body temperature and allowing it to permeate his own skin. Thus, this body that could never be warmed up gradually began to heat up.
Song Rui instinctively tightened his embrace around Fan Jialuo, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead as a single phrase echoed repeatedly in his mind: Borrow——I will lend you whatever you desire. My warmth, my affection, my wisdom, even my very life……
He didn’t say these words aloud, but his surging emotions were like a packet of popping candy, sweet and lively, filling Fan Jialuo’s mouth and causing him to chuckle softly.
Song Rui didn’t understand what he was laughing at, but his expression softened, and he chuckled softly in return.
“Whatever path you choose to take, I’ll be right there with you. You’ve always known my wish, haven’t you?” He asked in a hoarse voice.
“I know, we will do everything together.” Last time, out of caution and a sense of responsibility, Fan Jialuo did not respond. This time, however, he said those words without hesitation.
Song Rui finally let go of all his unease and embraced the person with a smile. The winter night was cold, and the body that existed as a soul vessel and the desolate heart should have been even colder, but they both had the warmest dream they had ever had.
The next day, Song Rui and Fan Jialuo were awakened by a series of phone calls. Chief Yan and Meng Zhong were calling them separately at the same time, seemingly in a great hurry.
“Chief Yan, hello. What happened?” Fan Jialuo answered the phone.
“Teacher Fan, please check the news! Something terrible has happened! Last night, three families were murdered in Beijing. Three victims survived, and they all accuse you of being the killer. Moreover, the surveillance cameras clearly captured the entire process of you committing the crimes. What’s worse, these videos have been released online by the media, causing extremely negative consequences. I will send someone to take you to the police station. Please be prepared.” Chief Yan’s anxious voice came from the other end of the line.
Fan Jialuo’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down.
What shouldn’t have happened still happened.
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Leave a Comment
Chapter 253. Major Catastrophe, Chaotic Future
Song Rui’s concerns were also Chief Yan’s concerns. If the mastermind could replace even the treasures in the Central Museum, then taking action against the precious items in other museums would be as easy as taking candy from a baby.
Without delay, the group took a private jet that very night and traveled to various museums to check on the situation. In order to save as much time as possible, Fan Jialuo ignored all the other exhibits and went straight to the museum’s prized possessions upon arrival. He sensed each of them several times, including the gold-embroidered robe, the jade coffin, and even the thousand-year-old mummy.
After seven or eight days of this arduous journey, the group finally returned to Beijing, bringing extremely bad news to the special task force established by Meng Zhong.
“Almost all the museum’s prized possessions have been replaced. Those that weren’t replaced are artifacts that cannot be replicated using modern technology.” Chief Yan said with a heavy heart at the case analysis meeting.
Teacher Fan had long predicted that the swapped artifacts would suffer the fate of being weathered into sand. Therefore, everyone in the conference room bowed their heads in silent mourning for those treasures, whether already lost or not. This was not the most shameful moment in Chinese history, but without a doubt, it was one of the most catastrophic moments in the history of Chinese civilization. To be capable of personally severing one’s own roots, forsaking one’s native soil, and cutting off one’s own lineage, just how utterly deranged must the mastermind behind this be?
“For those in the Taoist sects, this isn’t called being heartless or insane, it’s called severing all emotions and love, cutting off worldly ties, and it’s the only way to become a god.” Fan Jialuo said, shaking his head.
These words completely enraged Chief Yan, causing him to slam his fist on the table, “He can’t even be a decent human being, and he thinks he can be a god? If Heaven lets a person like him become a god, then it must be blind!”
“Chief, please watch your words.” Meng Zhong was no longer an atheist, so he nervously patted his old superior on the shoulder and glanced at the top of his head, as if God was really watching.
Chief Yan was seething with anger and wanted to lash out, but he held back. Undoubtedly, this incident had instilled in him a deep-seated hatred for the Taoist sects.
“We’ve confirmed that all the treasures nationwide have been swapped. What about the privately owned collections?” Song Rui asked calmly.
Meng Zhong immediately opened his notebook and reported in detail, “We investigated well-known collectors in the country and discovered a very interesting phenomenon. Four families——the Cheng family, the Yu family, the Xia family, and the Zong family——have been aggressively acquiring antiques for the past nine years. During these nine years, whenever a rare artifact appeared on the art market, it would inevitably fall into the hands of these four families. What’s even more interesting is that the artifacts they bought would then disappear from the art market altogether. Even when national museums contacted them to borrow them for exhibition, they would be refused. However, this situation has undergone a shift within the last five years, as the technology for crafting replicas has matured to such a degree that it can now successfully deceive both the trained eyes of experts and the scrutiny of high-tech detection equipment.”
Meng Zhong took out a stack of photos and continued, “So in the past five years, these four families have begun to lend their rare collections to museums in China for exhibitions, and they have very close relationships with major museums. Teacher Fan, these are all from their collections. Can you see anything wrong with them?”
Fan Jialuo examined the photos one by one, shaking his head and saying, “I can’t see the light of spiritual qi, nor can I sense the ancient aura. They might be fake. But my senses are weakened by the photos, so I can’t be 100% sure.”
“I’ll find a way to let you see the real thing for yourself.” Chief Yan said immediately.
Song Rui followed up with his analysis, “These four families might be helping the mastermind behind the scenes collect antiques.”
Meng Zhong nodded and said, “I have already sent people to keep an eye on them. In addition, Elder Liang and Elder Lu also reported a situation to me.”
He spread out photos of the counterfeit national treasures on the table, pointing at them with his finger, “Look at these fakes——they are crafted to be absolutely identical to the originals. Were it not for destructive testing, we would never in our wildest dreams have suspected that they had been swapped out. This demonstrates just how extraordinary the forger’s skills truly are. He managed to replicate the mold lines on those two tripods without missing a single one, and he executed the intricate, elaborate carvings with such precision that they are utterly indistinguishable from the real thing. What level of mastery is that?”
Song Rui nodded, “The forger is a genius.”
Meng Zhong slammed a photo on the table and continued, “This photo was provided by Elder Liang. Look at this man, his name is Yi Jiangnan, he is 27 years old this year, a high-functioning autistic patient, and he is Elder Liang’s student. He has the highest level of expertise in the fields of cultural relic appraisal, sculpture, painting and calligraphy. Elder Liang described him as a genius and said that if anyone could create a national treasure that is indistinguishable from the real thing, it would only be him.”
Chief Yan immediately pressed, “Where is he? Has he been arrested?”
Meng Zhong shook his head, “No, this person disappeared nine years ago.”
“Another nine years.” Song Rui mused.
Fan Jialuo’s eyes flickered slightly, as if he had made a connection to something.
Meng Zhong continued to slam photos onto the table, “Look, these are X-ray photos taken by the Central Museum’s appraisal center in recent years of those national treasures. Doesn’t it look as though every single one of these photos is different? In reality, they are not. If we simply adjust the borders, we discover that they are all old photographs dating back nine years, merely by tweaking the angle slightly, they were repurposed and reused as if they were new. In other words, the Central Museum’s routine inspections of these artifacts ceased nine years ago, that is why such a glaring flaw in the bronze turtle’s hollow interior went undetected and remained concealed right up until now.”
“There’s a mole inside the Central Museum.” Chief Yan wasn’t surprised by the news, but suppressed his anger and asked, “Has the person been caught?”
“Already arrested him.” Meng Zhong had barely finished speaking when he received a text message from Zhuang Zhen with a photo attached. After reading it, his face tightened slightly, and he finally pushed the phone to Chief Yan’s hand, saying weakly, “The head of the Cultural Relics Appraisal Center of the Central Museum committed suicide, and two other technicians also jumped off a building at the same time. Neither of them could be saved.”
While Meng Zhong was speaking, Zhuang Zhen sent a series of text messages, all of them bad news. Similar to the situation at the Central Museum, the suspects at the local museums were also disappearing or committing suicide, and no one with any information was found by the police.
Seeing the blood-soaked scene in the photo, Chief Yan felt a tingling in his teeth, “Besides those four families, have all the other leads gone cold? Eliminating so many informants at once, the person behind this really has a big hand!”
“Those four families aren’t really any leads. If they just claim to be victims who didn’t know when their collections were switched, and we can’t produce any evidence to accuse them, the case can’t be investigated further. The person behind this is like a ghost, appearing and disappearing without a trace, and would never openly maintain contact with these four families.” Song Rui poured cold water on the situation.
“Damn it, who is this person behind all this? So vicious and so powerful! If we hadn’t discovered their actions, would our country have been turned upside down in a few years? The metaphysic society’s people always say they want to live in seclusion, but when we need their help, we often have to be subservient to them. We’ve given them all the benefits and support they deserve, and what’s the result? Is this how they live in seclusion? Stealing the nation’s fortune from the shadows? Damn it, a bunch of beasts!”
Chief Yan slammed his fist on the table in exasperation, then sighed helplessly, “The people of metaphysic society are too mysterious. To this day, we haven’t even figured out their basic situation. How are we supposed to investigate this case? The suspects are involved in the entire Taoist Sects, and almost all of them are hiding in the shadows. We simply can’t find them.”
Fan Jialuo arranged the photos with his fingertips, his tone calm, but his words invigorated everyone, “I’ll point you to two suspects.”
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong’s eyes immediately burned with intense desire.
Song Rui understood after a moment’s thought.
“Investigate this person.” Fan Jialuo pushed his phone to the middle of the table.
Chief Yan looked at the image on the screen and exclaimed in surprise, “It’s her again!”
Meng Zhong craned his neck to take a look and was immediately stunned. This person was actually the junior sister from the Tianshui Sect, who acted impulsively, causing Ma You to flee and resulting in the deaths of many innocent citizens. She was so brainless, she didn’t seem like the mastermind behind everything.
Song Rui also showed the two photos he had secretly taken, “She is indeed very suspicious. Look, this is what she looked like after being affected by the backlash of the formation, and this is what she looks like recently. Isn’t the difference huge?”
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong nodded repeatedly, their faces filled with shock. The difference wasn’t just big, it was downright unbelievable! One was balding, toothless, and on the verge of death, the other had shoulder-length black hair, straight teeth, and was radiant with youth——it was as if she had been reborn.
Fan Jialuo slowly explained, “Hair loss and loose teeth, the loss of life force——such backlash is irreversible. To recover, one must find a highly skilled person to bestow upon them an initiation. An initiation means that this person must transfer their lifespan, spiritual power, cultivation level, and luck entirely to the person suffering from the backlash. The more they transfer, the faster the recovery. To recover to this extent——”
Fan Jialuo tapped Lin Nianci’s incomparably beautiful face with his slender fingertips, and said with certainty, “Even if I used half my cultivation, I probably couldn’t do it. Moreover, as far as I know, no master within the Taoist sects bestowed any initiation upon her. She was reborn overnight, and when I saw her again, her aura of luck was practically sky-high, perhaps even surpassing that of an emperor. Furthermore, nine years ago, to cure her ailment, the Tianshui Sect sent her abroad for recuperation, and since then, no one has received any news of her.”
Fan Jialuo clasped his hands together and looked around at everyone, “Nine years, does that number seem familiar?”
Chief Yan stared intently at Lin Nianci’s photo and guessed, “Teacher Fan, are you saying that she started plotting in the shadows nine years ago? But she looks only in her early twenties, and she was only thirteen or fourteen years old nine years ago. Could she have done something so big?”
“Her current physical body is over seventy years old.” Fan Jialuo said with a half-smile, “And her mental age may be over two hundred.”
Chief Yan was shocked. His eyes darted around slightly before he ordered, “Investigate her thoroughly! Monitor her 24/7! How come there are Tianshui Temples everywhere? Oh, right, they are the number one sect in metaphysical society. That Taoist Zhi Fei also has a nickname, ‘Old Immortal.’ They dream of becoming gods and immortals and don’t treat ordinary people like human beings at all. It’s not surprising that they would do something like switching national treasures.”
He took out his phone and made a call, his tone extremely harsh, “How’s the demolition of Tianshui Temples going? Demolish it now, demolish all, even if there are legal permits. I’ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!”
After making that call, he called the Religious Affairs Bureau and said sternly, “Add Tianshui Temple to the list of cults. They are not allowed to recruit any more followers, and they are not allowed to hold any public events.”
The person on the other end meekly agreed, and Chief Yan’s expression softened slightly. After hanging up the phone, he gritted his teeth and muttered, “Damn it, I’ll turn your fake reclusion into real reclusion. If you look down on ordinary people, you can stay in the deep mountains and forests for the rest of your lives!”
After Chief Yan let out a sigh of relief, Fan Jialuo continued, “Another suspect is the Zhang family. Su Fengxi was trained by them. They seem to be exploring the path to godhood as well.”
Chief Yan was in a dilemma this time. After hesitating for a long time, he said in a low voice, “Teacher Fan, I consider you one of my own, so I’ll give you a heads-up. The Zhang family is currently cooperating with the country. They have developed a drug that can stimulate the potential of ordinary people, enabling them to mass-produce humanoid weapons and even cultivate Esper. Su Fengxi was actually their test subject. It has been certified by the higher-ups, so the Zhang family’s crimes have been cleared.”
“Oh, so taking that kind of potion can make you an Esper?” A ripple appeared in Fan Jialuo’s calm eyes.
“Yes, the agents of the Special Security Department have all volunteered to join this experimental program and have made great progress. If, after long-term observation, it is confirmed that this drug has no side effects, our army may promote it on a large scale. Therefore, the Zhang family cannot be investigated.” Chief Yan waved his hand helplessly.
Fan Jialuo closed his eyes, his heart churning with emotion.
After a long, long silence, he slowly said, “Chief Yan, the great upheaval I spoke of has indeed begun. People are constantly walking the path to godhood, and you ordinary people have long since become their stepping stones, yet you are unaware of it and instead add fuel to the fire. That potion is definitely not a good thing, those who take it will inevitably suffer a backlash someday. I don’t know what that backlash will be yet, but if you have the ability to stop this, please do not let it go unchecked.”
Chief Yan’s heart skipped a beat, and he said urgently, “But this experiment has entered its later stages, and the number of participants has expanded to two thousand. The level of participation is far beyond my management authority. I can’t manage this matter, I can only mention it verbally, but whether the higher-ups will listen to me is still unknown.”
Two thousand——this number may seem insignificant, but if they were to calculate it in terms of lives, it would be a colossal disaster.
Fan Jialuo opened his unfocused, pitch-black eyes, releasing all his thoughts as he desperately tried to grasp that elusive glimmer of light. Then, he slowly uttered a prophecy, “I see multitudes of people making their way toward a place utterly devoid of light——their bodies dissolving into the void, turning to dust and mist. I also see the mad grow madder, the vile grow viler, and the dark grow darker…… Everything is spiraling toward the worst possible outcome……”
His voice was like a cold wind blowing across a glacier, or a scorching wind sweeping across a wasteland, making people feel both hot and cold, and filled with fear.
A few seconds later, he blinked, letting the divine light return to his blurred pupils, and then said, word by word, “If you don’t stop it, this world will descend into chaos.”
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
Leave a Comment
Chapter 252. Not Even A Human, Yet Dreaming Of Godhood
TN:- Bronze is an alloy made up of copper and tin.
Chief Yan went to a quiet corner to make a phone call.
Knowing which supreme leader he was speaking to, everyone in the lab fell silent. Even Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu, who were both angry and anxious, pursed their lips and dared not utter a sound. However, deep down, they were still praying that Chief Yan’s call for instructions would not be approved by the higher-ups.
Those are the Nine Tripod Cauldrons, national treasures, symbols of stability for the country, the heavens, and the people. Who dares to drill into them? Who has the heart to drill into them? The supreme leader should know the gravity of the situation. The experts and laboratories have already released their findings, wouldn’t it be better to just suppress the case like this?
A glimmer of hope flickered in their hearts, but upon seeing the solemn-faced Fan Jialuo, they were suddenly struck by the vision of the future he had described. One person becomes a god, and all things wither. This nation will no longer be able to nurture talent, this land will become a desolate wasteland, what a terrifying prospect!
If the supreme leader’s judgment is clouded by these words, he might actually agree to drill into the Nine Tripods.
Thinking of this, Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu couldn’t help but shudder. Neither of them realized that their mindset had long since changed, from initial resolute disbelief to wavering, and now to vehement denial and self-deception. Why were they so eager to suppress this case? Naturally, it was because they sensed that those national treasures had indeed been replaced.
For some, national interests come above all else, however, for others, their own interests are paramount.
Everyone had already seen through the two directors’ thoughts and character, and now they were all looking at them with disdain.
Chief Yan was on the phone from a great distance, constantly shielding his face with his hand to prevent others from reading his lip movements. This was a habitual action of his, so no one could hear what he was saying or see his expression.
Fan Jialuo listened intently for a moment, a knowing look appearing in his eyes. He then put on gloves and ordered, “Give me a newly made bronze cauldron, a hammer, a chisel, and a high-temperature blowtorch.”
The lab director immediately sent a technician to prepare the supplies, and then asked curiously, “What do you need all this for?” After witnessing this man’s bizarre abilities, he found it really difficult to face him with the same nonchalant attitude he had before.
“We’ll need it later.” Fan Jialuo pulled out a tissue and wiped the dust off the electronic scale.
Just as the technician placed the items on the table, Chief Yan walked over with his phone in hand and said seriously, “Teacher Fan, Leader would like to see how you make new copper grow rust roots, is that alright?”
Everyone glanced furtively at his phone screen, then their hearts skipped a beat. Wasn’t that the face they saw on the evening news every day?
“Okay.” Fan Jialuo nodded politely to the person on the other end of the phone, “Hello, Leader.” His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and he remained very calm.
The person on the other end of the phone greeted him warmly and said a few more words.
Only then did the lab director understand why Teacher Fan had asked him to prepare these things. He had anticipated the supreme leader’s request and, to avoid neglecting him, had arranged everything in advance. He truly was always one step ahead. He said that since birth, his eyes had never misjudged a person, thing, or event——was that really true?
Thinking this way, the lab director felt an even greater sense of fear about the case. If the mastermind behind it all had truly become a god, would ordinary people like them still have a chance to survive?
Not only was the lab director afraid, but everyone in the laboratory was inevitably filled with apprehension.
Fan Jialuo seemed completely oblivious to the somber atmosphere, slowly turning the newly made bronze cauldron, its color still a clear, golden yellow, and calmly explaining, “This is a new cauldron that I had prepared, weighing 98.76 kilograms.”
He picked up a hammer and chisel, chipped a notch in the handle of the bronze cauldron, and continued, “You can see that it is indeed made of bronze.” Then he picked up a high-temperature blowtorch, put on a heat shield, and melted the notch into molten copper.
After watching the process, the supreme leader nodded and said, “This is indeed a bronze cauldron.” He believed that no one would dare to fake it under his nose, and it couldn’t be faked over a video call.
Fan Jialuo removed his mask, hovered his hands on either side of the new cauldron, closed his eyes, created a transparent space, filled it with a magnetic field, and then continuously compressed it. Thus, the new golden cauldron, like the previous piece of new copper, quickly became covered in rust and slowly disintegrated into a pool of black dust.
It was placed on an electronic scale by Fan Jialuo. The display initially showed 98,760 grams, but the number rapidly decreased with each passing second until it became a negligible 78 grams. Such a heavy cauldron was transformed into a handful of dust weighing only a few dozen grams in just a few minutes. Such a change is not only shocking but also chilling.
The supreme leader stared at the pile of black dust for a long time without saying a word, so everyone held their breath and waited silently.
A deathly silence filled the laboratory. The fact that the supreme leader didn’t speak indicated his continued hesitation, if he hesitated, whether the case could ultimately stand was still a question. Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu’s tense expressions began to relax, their lips trembling as if they wanted to laugh but held it back.
However, the next second, the supreme leader’s authoritative voice came from the phone, “Yan Quanling, I have already given you the highest authority. I am now granting you a further mandate to facilitate your operations. As long as you can catch the mastermind, you can make any decision yourself. You don’t need to keep reporting to me through the layers of bureaucracy, as that will affect the efficiency of solving the case. I stand by what I said, we will never show leniency toward those who seek to undermine the very foundations of the country!”
Chief Yan immediately nodded in acceptance, but hesitated at the end, saying, “Leader, I already told you, those national treasures are probably……”
The supreme leader fell silent again, and after a long while, he sighed and said, “Just do your best. I only have one request for you, you must catch the person behind this!”
“Yes, Leader!” Chief Yan saluted.
The supreme leader offered him a few words of encouragement, sincerely thanked Fan Jialuo, and then hung up the video call.
Despite having had face-to-face exchanges with such important figures, Fan Jialuo showed no sign of embarrassment, nor did he use it as a weapon to attack Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu. He simply picked up a velvet cloth and silently cleaned the black dust off the electronic scale.
On the contrary, Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu trembled, hesitant to speak, appearing as if they wanted to defend themselves but had been suppressed and could only endure the humiliation. Their clumsy performance caused the experts and scholars who had initially sided with them to show their disgust, and they no longer dared to stand with them, all keeping their distance.
Chief Yan looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, “You all heard the Leader’s instructions, right? All the cultural relics that have been appraised before, now re-appraise them. Whether it’s non-destructive testing or destructive testing, as long as it can be 100% accurate, use it. I will take responsibility if anything goes wrong.”
Everyone present had been thoroughly humiliated by Fan Jialuo, so naturally they dared not refute him and returned to their posts to bury themselves in their work.
Chief Yan slowly stepped back and stood in a row with Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu. He didn’t say a word, but the chilling aura emanating from him was enough to make the two men tremble with fear and break out in a cold sweat.
After cleaning the workbench, Fan Jialuo removed his gloves and waited quietly.
Song Rui leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Do you hate gods that much?”
“I do not hate the gods.” Fan Jialuo shook his head.
“No, you do. I’m sure your purpose in waking up was to eliminate everyone who tries to become a god, right?” Song Rui stared deeply into the man’s eyes.
“You’re right. In this world, everyone who tries to become a god is my enemy.” Fan Jialuo readily admitted, but then gently shook his head, “But I don’t hate gods.”
Song Rui chuckled twice, neither confirming nor denying.
Fan Jialuo looked deeply into his eyes and asked, “Do you know which god is my favorite?”
“You also have a favorite god?” Song Rui was quite surprised. He had always thought Fan Jialuo was a staunch atheist. Yes, he was a Psychic and had resolved many paranormal phenomena that science couldn’t explain, but strangely, he believed that there shouldn’t be a god in the world. His so-called atheism wasn’t about not believing in God, but rather about not allowing God to exist. He was truly contradictory.
“Why can’t I believe in gods?” Fan Jialuo lowered his eyelids and spoke slowly, “In the beginning of all things, the world was a chaotic void. The primordial god Pangu created the sky and earth with his own power. His left eye became the sun, and his right eye became the moon; his hair and beard became the stars and planets in the sky; his torso and limb became the five sacred mountains; his blood formed the rivers and oceans, and his muscles became fertile soil; his breath became the wind and clouds, while his voice became thunder; his fur became bushes and forests; his bones became valuable minerals; his bone marrow became precious jewels; his sweat became rain; and the fleas on his fur carried by the wind became animals.”
Fan Jialuo looked up at the dazzling lights overhead, “He was born of solitude, and he died of solitude. Like a whale fall, he gave everything back to the world. From that moment on, he would never again feel the pangs of solitude; for all things came into being and acquired a living spirit through him; the sun, the moon, and the stars revolved at his behest; and the very heaven, earth, and time became imbued with sentiment because of him. What manner of divine realm do the later Three Pure Ones and the Jade Emperor inhabit? It is a place where Heaven and Earth remain detached, treating all creation as mere straw dogs, and where the sages rule without favor, viewing the masses with absolute neutrality. They exist without emotion or love, devoid of self and form. Yet, compared to the primordial god Pangu, what do they truly amount to? Can a lifespan of endless millennia ever compare to a single, glorious flash of eternity?”
“A lifespan of ten thousand years cannot compare to a moment of eternity.” Song Rui pondered these words repeatedly, then shook his head and said, “I don’t know why, but hearing you say that makes me feel very uneasy.”
Because in the eyes of Fan Jialuo, he saw the same loneliness and solitude as that of the primordial god Pangu.
Such a great God, yet he split the sky and the earth because of loneliness, and sacrificed himself because of loneliness. Does this ending foreshadow anything?
“I’m just speaking from the heart, don’t overthink it.” Fan Jialuo held Dr. Song’s hand, gently tapping the back of his hand with his fingertips, and whispered, “If this world can successfully survive the catastrophe, I hope I can become an ordinary person, taste the flavor of food, see the world outside, and die peacefully and naturally.”
Despite being such a powerful Psychic, his wish was the same as that of an ordinary person, to die peacefully and at a ripe old age.
These words deeply touched Song Rui’s heart, causing him to echo in a hoarse voice, “My wish is also to die peacefully in my old age. Of course, it would be even better if you could add three more words.”
“Which three words?” Fan Jialuo asked curiously.
“Together, with, you.” Song Rui said slowly, emphasizing each word.
Fan Jialuo was stunned. It took him a long time to tear his gaze away from Dr. Song’s vortex-like eyes, and he hastily averted his gaze. His thin lips twitched slightly, as if he wished to speak, yet ultimately, he chose to remain silent. Before the dust had settled, before the matter of life and death was resolved, he lacked the capacity to bear the weight of those three words.
Even without receiving a reply, Song Rui wasn’t disappointed. His life had been barren to begin with, and he was already content to have a glimmer of hope.
While the two were whispering, the trace element test results for the famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase finally came back. Counterfeiters can make the chemical composition of their imitations exactly the same as the genuine articles, but when the content of these components is accurate to one part in millions or even tens of millions, they are powerless.
Furthermore, the central laboratory has long possessed the trace element ratio data of various ancient porcelain kilns and has established a database based on this data. This database serves almost identically to a DNA comparison library. Technicians only need to place the collected samples into the testing chamber, and the main control program will immediately analyze and compare their trace elements, making it immediately clear whether it is an antique or a fake.
“Chief Yan, this famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase is fake!” The technician held up the steaming appraisal report, his voice filled with panic and helplessness, “Based on the analysis of trace elements, it is indeed produced in Jingde Sub-district, but it is a new object from the last ten years.”
Chief Yan took the report and examined it repeatedly, his expression gradually becoming serious.
Dozens of experts and scholars who had previously asserted that the vase was genuine have now all fallen silent.
However, this was only the beginning. The more than twenty treasures that were brought in and subsequently identified as genuine, starting with the famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase, fell like dominoes. After undergoing more accurate destructive testing, they were all determined to be fakes.
“Chief Yan, this ivory seated Buddha is fake.”
“Chief Yan, this flying goddess painting is fake.”
“Chief Yan, this human-shaped palace lantern is fake.”
“Chief Yan……”
One bad news after another brought the atmosphere in the laboratory to a freezing point. When the lead isotope analysis of Yong tripod and Qing tripod was also completed, this freezing point was shattered by a thunderbolt.
A technician stood up hastily, his hand holding the authentication report trembling, his voice shaking as he said, “Chief Yan, these two bronze tripods are also fake! We couldn’t find the highly radioactive lead isotopes in their bodies. We are absolutely certain that they were not cast before the Shang and Zhou dynasties.”
Chief Yan hurried over, took the authentication report, his mind a jumbled mess, unable to think straight. He had prayed to God hundreds and thousands of times, begging him not to let such a tragic fate befall these national treasures, but he never expected that the worst would still happen.
Who was behind this? Was it a foreign agent or a Chinese national? Teacher Fan said this case was committed by someone from the Taoist sect, meaning the person who switched the artifacts must be Chinese. How vicious must they be? They’re practically inhuman!
“MF, they don’t even deserve to be human, yet they want to become gods?!” Only at this moment did Chief Yan reveal his deep hatred for the mastermind behind the scenes. He then pointed at Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu and loudly ordered, “Arrest them both and take them away for interrogation!”
The moment Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu saw the report, they knew they were doomed. So many national treasures had been switched, and they had been completely unaware. Calling them traitors to the nation wouldn’t be an exaggeration. They couldn’t shirk this responsibility, after the interrogation, they would definitely be imprisoned.
“We……we really didn’t know! Chief Yan, this has nothing to do with us……”
The two men’s explanations quickly faded outside the door. Song Rui reminded them, “Check all the museums in the country, and also the treasures held by famous collectors. The person behind this has immense power and the ability to plunder all the treasures imbued with abundant spiritual qi and luck. To cast two such bronze tripods, and then to replace them discreetly, would require at least four or five years of planning and preparation. We only realized this now, and it’s probably too late, we don’t know how many artifacts can still be saved.”
Chief Yan felt dizzy and nearly suffered a heart attack. How did this case get so big?!
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
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Chapter 251. The Sinister Road To Godhood
TN:- 3 Chapters today!!! 7 Chapters tomorrow(If no issue arise), I’m almost done.
Everyone in the lab was stunned by Fan Jialuo’s incredible feat. He simply cupped his hands over the new copper, and it had transformed into its current rusty state. How did he do it? Utterly unbelievable!
However, the fact was right before their eyes, and no matter how shocking or unbelievable it was, no one could deny it.
Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu immediately snatched the piece of greenish-brown rusted copper and examined it inch by inch with a magnifying glass, their faces filled with indescribable fear. Everyone knew what they were panicking about and what they were afraid of. In fact, not only them, but the entire atmosphere of the laboratory had been subtly altered by the discovery of this piece of rusted copper.
The exhilarating, relaxed, and pleasant atmosphere had completely vanished at this moment, leaving only a suffocating silence.
The two technicians responsible for testing the famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase immediately returned to their workbench and intensified their sampling and measurement work, while the technician responsible for testing the two bronze tripods hovered his hand above the electronic scale, imitating the gesture of Fan Jialuo during his psychokinesis.
He tried to understand the underlying principles, but his mind was a jumbled mess, he couldn’t find a single scientific theory to explain what had just happened. All those years of schooling seemed to have been for nothing! It turned out that some people’s abilities transcended the ordinary and beyond imagination, abilities that ordinary people, unless they witnessed them firsthand, could never comprehend in their entire lives.
These technicians all knew that Fan Jialuo had helped the police solve Ma You’s case, and they knew he had some real skills, but they didn’t know his abilities were this bizarre. Was he really just a Psychic? Even a Psychic couldn’t possibly do this, could they?
Fan Jialuo also said that if people who deal with these antiques can do this much, what would the world be like because of the existence of people like them?
A profound sense of crisis suddenly welled up in everyone’s hearts, making their throats tighten, their hearts leap into their throats, and they tremble with fear.
The young expert who had previously mocked and belittled Fan Jialuo had somehow shrunk to the back of the crowd, pursing his lips and not daring to utter a word. The other experts also chose silence in the face of the irrefutable facts, and made no mention of writing the joint letter.
After carefully examining the rusty copper, Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu were still not convinced and questioned, “Are you absolutely sure your lab didn’t conspire with Fan Jialuo to pull some kind of stunt here? With technology being so advanced these days, who knows what you guys have laced this thing with!”
They knew that if they couldn’t suppress Fan Jialuo now, Chief Yan would definitely continue testing the two tripod cauldrons.
If the test results prove they are fake, the responsibility will fall entirely on the Central Museum. As the custodians of these national treasures, even if the mastermind behind the scenes apprehended, they would still face imprisonment for dereliction of duty.
No one knows better than them just how valuable these national treasures are. If their sentences were to be measured by that value, they might spend the rest of their lives in prison. They cannot, and should not, bear that responsibility!
So they resolutely denied what they had seen with their own eyes, and even tried to smear the laboratory.
The technicians, who had previously held the two scholars in high esteem and believed they had been greatly wronged by Fan Jialuo, now glared at them furiously.
“Mr. Sun, Mr. Liu, we are scientists with integrity. We may make mistakes, but we would never falsify data,” The lab director immediately retorted.
“Anyone can say such high-sounding words.” Director Sun turned his head away, ignoring the lab director, and continued to break the rusty copper piece in his hand, trying to prove that it was fake.
Unfortunately, the truth is the truth, and it cannot be faked. Even covered in rust, this piece of copper remains as hard as ever and cannot be broken no matter what.
Deputy Director Liu chimed in, “We’re all literature majors, we don’t understand your convoluted stuff. We only know that a piece of new copper could never turn like that in just a few minutes. Whether this thing is actually made of copper or not, we don’t have a microscope, so we don’t know.”
Their shameless words angered the technicians and extinguished their sympathy for them. After such a major incident, instead of investigating the truth and finding the mastermind, they only tried to evade responsibility and shirk their duties. No wonder so many national treasures were replaced while they remained oblivious.
The two museum directors should bear the greatest responsibility for how things have developed to this point!
Thinking of this, Chief Yan felt a surge of anger and immediately questioned, “Aren’t you supposed to be appraisal experts? If you can’t even distinguish the material composition of an antique, what kind of experts are you? If you can’t tell the difference between a piece of iron and a piece of copper when they’re placed side by side, then I’d say there are serious questions to be raised regarding both your professional competence and your credentials!”
Yes, they can’t even distinguish between basic things like copper, gold, silver, and iron. How did these two people even get by in the world of cultural relics?
In an instant, everyone looked at them with disdain.
Song Rui added insult to injury, “Elder Lu, you just said that eye based connoisseurship can never be replaced by machines, but just look at this, these two renowned experts in connoisseurship can’t even identify copper. Is this the highest level of your connoisseurship? No wonder the antique market is in such a mess, it’s all because of people like them.”
Elder Lu blushed with embarrassment, then turned to look at Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger.
“Do you even know what you’re saying? There’s a limit to shirking responsibility and escaping reality. You’ve been in the industry for decades, claiming to be experts and authorities, yet you can’t even identify copper. Aren’t you ashamed? The damage is done. Can’t you face it and find a solution? The responsibility you should bear can’t be shirked with a few empty words. If you dared to step forward and take full responsibility, we might respect you a little more. But your current attitude of refusing to take responsibility only makes us despise you!” Elder Lu pointed at Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu’s noses and began to berate them.
Elder Liang sighed, “With people like you in charge, it’s no wonder such a big thing happened at the Central Museum.”
Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu were so humiliated that they couldn’t lift their heads, feeling that their lifelong reputation and dignity had been ruined on this day. But they dared not admit it, nor could they admit it! Admitting it would mean a lifetime of imprisonment! Since the incident hadn’t happened to the others, they could, of course, speak without a care in the world.
The two men tried to argue, but Chief Yan interrupted them first, “I’m too lazy to listen to your nonsense. Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. Since Teacher Fan has a way to turn new copper into antiques, then the person behind the scenes must also have a way. The authentication results of these two tripods are not reliable now and must be re-appraised!”
His face twitched for a while before he cursed viciously, “Damn Taoist sects! Our country has been supporting them all these years, making their appetites grow bigger, hasn’t it? How dare they lay a hand on the national treasure! Find the person behind this, and LaoZi will skin him alive!”
Standing with him were Elder Liang, Elder Lu, and other experts and scholars, all of whom wore expressions of shared indignation. As protectors of cultural relics, they were most capable of understanding the extreme pain of such a severed heritage and destroyed civilization.
Even the lab director couldn’t guarantee that his test results were 100% correct. He lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, his lips twitching slightly as if he wanted to say something, but he held back.
Everyone was secretly observing Teacher Fan with awe, their burning gazes fixed on his magical hands. Only Song Rui noticed the lab director’s unusual behavior and, after a moment’s thought, understood the other party’s concerns. So he said directly, “If you want to make the authentication results absolutely accurate, I know another way.”
The lab director’s eyes flickered slightly, and he dared not respond.
Chief Yan immediately pressed for details, “What method?”
“Bronze artifacts from my country’s Shang Dynasty contain a specific lead isotopic composition characterized by high radiogenic content——a composition that vanished entirely after the Warring States period. To date, the technology required to replicate this specific lead isotopic composition has not been developed anywhere in the world, consequently, the very notion of forging such artifacts is simply out of the question.”
Song Rui pointed to the Yong tripod, the Qing tripod and continued, “According to research, these two tripods are products from before the Shang Dynasty, so they must contain lead isotopes with high radiogenic origin. We can determine their authenticity by doing a lead isotope analysis.”
Chief Yan immediately gave the order, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!”
Song Rui added, “But there is still one problem left for you to handle.”
“What problem? Tell me,” Chief Yan urged.
“To do this analysis, we need to take samples, which will inevitably damage the integrity of these two tripod cauldrons. How do you think we should solve this problem?” Song Rui asked the question that the lab director dared not ask.
If it were any other cultural relic, taking a sample wouldn’t be a problem, but the symbolic significance of these two tripods is extremely important, and no one can damage or even desecrate them.
Chief Yan was now in a dilemma. He stood there stiffly, speechless for a long time.
The lab director then admitted frankly, “Dr. Song is right. If we want to determine the age of these two tripods, we must conduct destructive testing.”
Director Sun seemed to have seized a major weakness and immediately shouted, “You actually dare to damage the integrity of the Yong tripod and the Qing tripod, drilling holes in their surfaces to take samples? How dare you? As long as I’m here, no one is allowed to touch them. I’ll report this to my superiors immediately and let them judge this matter!”
Director Sun knew all too well the importance of these two tripods, so he immediately made a phone call to his direct superior, chattering away on speakerphone.
The superior’s voice was filled with anger, “No one is allowed to touch these two bronze tripods! Anyone who does is a traitor to the nation! The appraisal results are out, what are you still doing? Quickly transport the national treasures back! Quiet down, all of you, stop causing trouble!”
Everyone nodded in agreement, not daring to object. Even Chief Yan hesitated, thinking, should we just let it go? Teacher Fan’s suspicions were merely conjecture, but the laboratory’s findings were clear and the evidence conclusive. Besides, Teacher Fan was so powerful, could the mastermind really have the ability to make bronze artifacts grow rust? Probably not. That possibility was actually very small. How many people in the world are like Teacher Fan?
Thinking about it this way, Chief Yan couldn’t help but waver.
Fan Jialuo saw through his thoughts, so he picked up the rusty copper on the table, held it in his palm, and said gently, “Chief Yan, do you know what the consequences are of letting the mastermind behind the scenes get away with it?”
“What is it?” Chief Yan asked instinctively.
“It is its ever-growing strength and the continued destruction of you ordinary people.” Fan Jialuo weighed the rusty copper in his hand and said seriously, “You will see what destruction means.” As his voice fell, the rusty copper gradually became fluffy, cracked, and scattered in his palm, turning into a cloud of black powder that leaked through his fingers.
This incredible scene stunned everyone.
Fan Jialuo’s tone turned icy, “See? This is how the mastermind treats those national treasures. They may have already turned to dust and scattered in the wind. You can guard these fake things and admire them through your fantasies for a lifetime. But have you ever thought about how powerful the mastermind would become if the abundant spiritual qi and luck accumulated over thousands of years were completely absorbed?”
Chief Yan’s heart clenched, and his voice trembled, “How powerful will he be?”
Fan Jialuo gently blew the dust from his palm and said, word by word, “I can tell you the truth, it will seize all of China’s magnificent purple aura, its vast national fortune, and its spiritual qi. This land will no longer be able to nurture wise people, nor will it be able to support its lush forests and vast grasslands. Without people, without vegetation, only sand and gravel will remain. You can imagine what this country will become.”
Chief Yan’s cheek muscles bulged out, clearly showing that he was extremely afraid and extremely full of hatred.
Dozens of experts, scholars, and technicians were thrown into turmoil and terrified by Teacher Fan’s description. If this matter were truly suppressed and ignored, wouldn’t this country gradually become a dead end? Like that piece of new copper before, it would slowly rust and eventually weather into dust!
Who is the mastermind behind this? Why did they want to destroy China? This is absolutely vicious!
Fear gripped everyone’s throats, except for Director Sun, who screamed hoarsely, “Impossible, you’re just exaggerating! Things aren’t as serious as you make them out to be! Luck of nation, aura, spiritual qi, it’s all a lie!”
However, faced with a blanket of black dust, his words carried absolutely no weight.
Song Rui glanced at him and said coldly, “I suspect the situation is more serious than you imagine. Since the mastermind dared to steal the national treasure, have they targeted museums across the country? As far as I know, almost every major museum has its own prized artifacts. Could they also possess spiritual essence? Could they have been switched as well? If so, then this case is a major case with nationwide implications, and it cannot be suppressed!”
Fan Jialuo added, “If the mastermind really did sweep away all the spiritual treasures in the country, then I’m sure their goal is to become a god.”
He stared intently at Chief Yan and asked, “Do you know what price a piece of land needs to pay to give birth to a God?”
Chief Yan asked with fear and unease, “What price will it have to pay?”
“Becoming a god means seizing the creative forces of heaven and earth and encroaching upon the mysteries of the cosmic clock. The words ‘seize’ and ‘encroach’ perfectly encapsulate the lethal peril and absolute wickedness of this path. To put it bluntly, the path to godhood is a path of slaughtering all living beings. Think about it, the creation of this land was originally meant to nurture all things, but now it has been monopolized and plundered by this one who seeks godhood. What space is left for other people, other animals, and other plants to survive?”
Chief Yan opened his mouth as if he wanted to speak, but his throat was terribly dry.
Fan Jialuo shook his head and sighed, “It won’t happen anymore. This land will never again nurture wise people, nor grow beautiful trees, nor breed vibrant animals. Even the diamonds in the coal and the jade in the old mines will disappear, leaving only dust and desolation. If in the beginning of all things, this world still had great potential, then it didn’t matter how one became a god. But in this degenerate age of spiritual depletion and decay, becoming a god is tantamount to slaughtering people. Right now, only some national treasures are disappearing, later, tens of millions of ordinary people will die. The great change I was talking about is about to begin.”
Chief Yan’s legs went weak, and he slumped into his chair.
Director Sun, panting heavily, shouted, “I don’t believe you! Anyway, nobody understands this, so you can just make things up as you please! What great change, what becoming a god, it’s utterly absurd!”
Chief Yan glared fiercely at Director Sun, then immediately dialed the number of the supreme leader. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance that Teacher Fan’s prediction of the future would come true, he had to report it! Tolerating the mastermind behind the scenes was tantamount to the destruction of this country!
QT- I’m Almost Died
The Villain Becomes The White Moonlight
Did The Affectionate Love Interest Collapse Today?
I Have A Secret
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